Dear fellow alumni and friends of the School of Dentistry,
Thank you for your loyal support of our School on WVU Day of Giving. In just 24 hours, our Mountaineer family came together and raised more than $226,000 to support our School and our students. We are incredibly grateful to have dedicated supporters who are committed to the oral health of our state and our community and to the success of our students.
I was 57 when I ran my first marathon, definitely a late bloomer in the running world. It was 2017, and I was preparing to retire from the Navy and thought it would be a nice way to celebrate my military career. I chose the Marine Corps Marathon, commonly referred to as “the people’s marathon,” as my target event. Symbolic for many reasons … it is run in Washington, D.C., my mom and dad were both Marines, and I was serving as the Director for Health Services for the Marine Corps. By all accounts, I had a successful marathon. Following retirement and our move to Jacksonville, Florida, I wanted to keep the running momentum going. Jacksonville is a city of runners with many different running groups. I tried several groups before I found a fit in the Jacksonville Galloway Runners. The people were absolutely amazing, and the Galloway “run-walk-run” method of distance running piqued my interest.
Here is why this story becomes an important topic for this month’s eNews. Jeff Galloway was an Olympian who transformed distance running for a generation of runners. Jeff fundamentally changed the running world with his commitment to the run-walk-run method. Thanks to his drive to spread awareness of this method, Jeff influenced people who were hesitant about running to just take a few steps of walking, then run, then walk alternately to achieve a goal that they never thought possible. I had an opportunity to meet Jeff on several occasions and even did a few motivational training runs with him. Sadly, we lost Jeff this February at the age of 80 from a hemorrhagic stroke.
I occasionally revisit one of his books, “Mental Training for Runners,” because of its parallels to life. Here are several relatable lessons from distance running that are relevant and on point to everyday life:
- The mind drives performance. Your thoughts, attitudes, and expectations strongly influence results. Training your mind can improve endurance, reduce fatigue, and help you push through challenging times.
- Set realistic personal goals. Rather than comparing yourself to others, focus on personal improvement, consistency, and enjoyment to keep your motivation and reduce burnout.
- Use positive self-talk. Your internal dialogue matters. Replace negative thoughts with constructive ones.
- Relaxation improves efficiency because tension wastes energy.
- Stay mentally calm because relaxation conserves energy and facilitates better performance.
Build your confidence, prepare for your “race-day,” reduce anxiety, picture yourself handling difficult moments smoothly, break challenges into manageable segments, and focus on reaching the next landmark instead of the entire distance.
Remember, not every day will go well. Learning from setbacks, avoiding harsh self-criticism, maintaining a long-game perspective, and consistency are important during life’s journey.
The bottom line — mental habits make a difference. Positive thinking, relaxation, and realistic goal setting are just as trainable as your body. Mastering them in life, like in running, can make a challenging situation manageable and, yes, even enjoyable.
We are excited to share some exciting news on our renovations. Substantial completion for phase one renovations is May 3rd. Move-in dates and transition of the following clinics from Suncrest Towne Centre back to the Health Sciences Center are:
- Pediatric Dentistry – May 21
- Orthodontics – May 22
- Dental Group Practice – May 26
- Innovation Center – May 27
The WVU School of Dentistry Alumni Association will hold its annual meeting on Friday, April 24. We will be offering tours of our phase one renovations on Saturday morning. Please feel free to join us if you are in town.
On Friday, May 15, the Class of 2026 will celebrate their commencement at the Coliseum — we look forward to seeing many of you there.
Thank you for all you do for our School and especially for our students and those entrusted to our care.
Lead well at every engagement. Glad to be here. Let’s go!
Stephen Pachuta
Dean