MU| F e a t u r e s
S
he can still hear his voice, see him
standing at a chalkboard in HollKintner Hall. Nearly 50 years ago,
a gifted biology student named
Jane Henney ’69 told Emerson
“Doc” Niswander that she was contemplating
medical school. The professor’s two-word
response – “Why not?” – changed her life.
Niswander’s encouragement helped launch
Henney into a remarkable career of cancer
research, higher education and public
service, including serving as the first female
Commissioner of Food and Drugs at the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Now a gift of more than $1 million from
Dr. Henney and her spouse, Dr. Robert
Graham, has named the Dr. R. Emerson
and Evelyn M. Niswander Department of
Biology at Manchester University in honor
of Henney’s teacher and friend. The gift
establishes an endowed fund that will be
used to support student and faculty research,
new equipment for the growing department,
and faculty development opportunities,
says Dave Hicks, associate professor and
department chair.
around, looked at her and replied, “Why not?”
When recalling that moment, Henney says,
“that vote of confidence, from someone I
respected so much, meant everything to me.”
Henney went on to a career that included
serving as FDA commissioner during the
last two years of the Clinton Administration,
leading two Academic Health Centers at the
University of New Mexico and the University
of Cincinnati and a nine-year stint early in \