OF NOTE
Dr. Wilbert Jordan Homegoing: One of CDU’ s Mightiest Lions is Memorialized
The University paid tribute earlier in Spring 2023 to the passing from labor to reward of one of the community’ s most celebrated and iconic leaders. Dr. Wilbert Jordan was feted by a wide variety of speakers, two dozen in all. Featuring a video tribute by Dr. David Satcher, a stirring set of passionate vocals by Mario Tate and timely opening and closing prayers by CDU General Counsel John Patton, Esq., the event was warmly memorable on a chilly Friday afternoon.
This veritable gallery of speakers offered an enriched plethora of feelings about the man that they had come to know and love over the years. In another setting and were the object of their reflections alive and present, the occasion would have taken on the tenor of a colorful celebrity roast. Wilbert Jordan meant a lot of things to a lot of people, and this group’ s insights were as varied as their numbers.
When everyone finished their stories and the tears and laughter subsided, it was evident that Dr. Jordan was a one-of-a kind pioneer innovator who played a role that may be irreplaceable, albeit endlessly needed. Besides his accomplishments as a canny practitioner, the central theme of the commentary was his vision of how to help HIV / AIDS patients by combating the stigma at a time when it was a crucial barrier to providing dignity for the many with whom he ministered.
The tribute offered beautiful memories and an honest portrait of the man and the historic time when he first waged his campaign. Family, patients, colleagues, health care professionals who waged this battle alongside him, and leaders of the organizations to which he belonged, all offered insightful recollection of his long and distinguished career. Ultimately, his legacy will remain a vivid reminder far beyond the span of his physical presence.
CDU College of Medicine | PG. 47