A lot can happen in 125 years.
A college can be founded in Philadelphia and then expanded to Georgia. Healthcare centers can be opened to better treat underserved populations. Students can graduate and begin their dream careers.
One hundred twenty-five years can hold millions of moments and memories. In celebration of its 125th anniversary, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has captured elements from those years and moments on the 125th Moment Wall. This static display has been installed on all three campus locations and will remain throughout the year as a visual representation of PCOM’s storied history.
“We wanted students to see the history that they were a part of,” said Abigail Harmon, senior graphic designer at PCOM.
“We want them to know they are one piece in a bigger story, and there are 125 years of medical education behind them.”
The idea for the oversized collage of PCOM’s history started with an issue of Digest, the College’s alumni magazine. A walk through the archives with Mitzi Sorrells, cataloger & special collections
librarian, revealed the richness of PCOM’s history.
“Since the school’s founding in 1899 by Mason W. Pressly and Oscar John Snyder, PCOM has continued to grow and prosper over the years,” shared Sorrells.
“It has gone through several name changes, many moves and expansions. From the initial graduating ‘class’ consisting of one man and one woman, PCOM has now matriculated tens of thousands of students.”
Additional standout moments were added to the collage to create a unique celebration of how far PCOM has come over the last 125 years.
“The process of selecting items to help tell the story of PCOM’s vibrant history was a lot of fun,” said Sorrells. “We tried to include a variety of objects from decades of daily life: academic publications, programs, drawings, pins, photographs and other ephemera.”
In total, 64 items are showcased on the wall for students, faculty, and staff to enjoy on all three campuses. Moments in time that make up PCOM’s identity.
“The items are part of decades of education. I’m drawn to each one because there’s a real person or story behind it,” said Harmon.
“While the study of medicine has been around for a long time, to see it through a different lens is special.”
Below is a key of the 125th Moment Wall. The PCOM community is invited to take photos and view the individual elements of the photo collage on each campus location. Share your photos on social media using the hashtag #PCOM125.
For the past 125 years, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms. PCOM, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
Brandon Lausch
Executive Director, Strategic Communications
Email: brandonla@pcom.edu
Office: 215-871-6312 | Cell:
717-371-0609
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