Ric Bonnell Receives Inaugural Gachman Faculty Excellence Award
The Gachman Endowed Faculty Excellence Award recognizes an outstanding faculty member who has distinguished the Burnett School of Medicine through “innovative teaching and training, research, and/or superb patient care.” Director of Service Learning Ric Bonnell, M.D. was selected as the award’s inaugural recipient.
FORT WORTH – An 80th birthday in April 2022 brought Fort Worth business icon Arnold Gachman, ’64, cards and gifts galore. One special gift, however, will forever tie the longtime TCU supporter and recipient of its 2022 Royal Purple Award to the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University. Through the collective contributions of friends and industry colleagues, the Gachman Endowed Faculty Excellence Award was established in his honor.
The award will recognize an outstanding faculty member each year who has distinguished the Burnett School of Medicine through “innovative teaching and training, research, and/or superb patient care.” Director of Service Learning Ric Bonnell, M.D., was recently selected as the award’s inaugural recipient.
Dr. Bonnell’s medical career has been highlighted by numerous medical mission trips to Haiti and by work in free clinics and with organizations committed to meeting the health care needs of disenfranchised men, women, and children in North Texas. He now teaches and mentors Burnett School of Medicine students as they fulfill community service opportunities that place them face-to-face with those who have limited options to receive care and caring.
“Ric has changed the lives of our Burnett scholars as he has healed so many patients and contributed to humanity in our community and around the world,” said Mr. Gachman. He’s a perfect choice.”
Mr. Gachman and his wife, Harriette – who are also Burnett School of Medicine Founding Donors – recently enjoyed lunch with Dr. Bonnell and were pleased to hear of the many ways that students are volunteering their time and talents in the community.
“I grew up in Fort Worth and the Gachman family are well-known as leaders not just in the business community but also for giving back and doing charitable things. So it really meant a lot to me for this award to come from that family because I know they’ve been committed to Fort Worth for a long time,” Bonnell said. At the Burnett School of Medicine, “we really focus on faculty that specialize in teaching and in doing service and getting our students to be the Empathetic Scholars®️ that we want them to be. I’m honored to have received this award and to be at a medical school that values service as much as they do other parts of medicine.”