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please know as always to call me anytime 3158573746 - I took the day to stay home to process this news. </div>
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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Jaclyn was an amazing human with one of the biggest hearts.
We recruited her as an internal candidate when I first started here. There were some beautiful conversations had about her hopes and dreams that involved research and being a doctor and changing the world and adulting and cats and books and adventures and
so much more. I was so happy when she decided to join us. I am so grateful to have known her. </span></p>
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Tomorrow I’ll be on campus with my door open all day, with coffee, tea, and comfort snacks. Take care of yourselves and reach out to me or each other or anyone you love when it feels lonely. We are here for each other. </div>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size:11pt" color="#000000"><b>From:</b> mdphd <mdphd-bounces@lists.upstate.edu> on behalf of Patricia M. Kane-Popp <KanePM@upstate.edu><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, 30 June 2026 14:26:47<br>
<b>To:</b> Adam Waickman <WaickmaA@upstate.edu>; mdphd@lists.upstate.edu <mdphd@lists.upstate.edu><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [mdphd] A follow-up from the MD/PhD Program: we're here for you</font>
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I just want to second Adam's message. Even though I am transitioning away from being MD/PhD director, I'd be very happy to meet anyone who would like to talk. This is a very shocking and sad time.</div>
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Patty</div>
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Patricia M. Kane, Ph.D.</div>
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SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor</div>
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Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology</div>
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SUNY Upstate Medical University</div>
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Syracuse, NY 13210</div>
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<div id="x_divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" color="#000000" style="font-size:11pt"><b>From:</b> mdphd <mdphd-bounces@lists.upstate.edu> on behalf of Adam Waickman <WaickmaA@upstate.edu><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, June 30, 2026 2:22 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> mdphd@lists.upstate.edu <mdphd@lists.upstate.edu><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [mdphd] A follow-up from the MD/PhD Program: we're here for you</font>
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Dear MD/PhD students,</div>
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Following the messages you received from Dean Chin and Interim Dean Chan, I wanted to reach out to you directly. For anyone who may be reading this as the first they're hearing of it, I'm so sorry to be sharing such painful news this way: we lost Jaclyn Rittershaus last
night in a motor vehicle accident.</div>
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There is no way to make sense of news like this, and no right way to be feeling right now. Shock, grief, numbness, anger; whatever you're carrying, it belongs here, and you don't have to carry it alone.</div>
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I want to be clear about one thing above all else: the entire MD/PhD team and I are here for you. That isn't a formality. If you need to talk, sit with someone, step away from your work, or just not be alone for a while, please reach out - to me, to any of
us.</div>
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I will be physically here all day today, and every day this week. My door is open (WSK 2237a). If you'd rather talk by phone or just need to reach me, you can call my cell anytime at (518) 637-6485.</div>
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Upstate also has additional support available for anyone who needs it, and I'd encourage you to use it:</div>
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<div role="presentation">Student Counseling Services: 315-464-3120</div>
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<div role="presentation">Student Health Office: 315-464-4260</div>
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<div role="presentation">Upstate's Spiritual Care Office: 315-464-4687</div>
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<div role="presentation">Employee Mental Health and Support Services: 315-464-5760</div>
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<div role="presentation">4KARE (24-hour support services): 315-464-5273</div>
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Please don't hesitate to use any of these. Leaning on support right now is a sign of strength, not weakness.</div>
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We will get through this together. Please take care of yourselves and of each other.</div>
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With care,</div>
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<b>Adam T. Waickman, PhD</b></div>
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<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255); text-transform:none">Director, MD/PhD Program</span></div>
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Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology</div>
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SUNY Upstate Medical University</div>
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<span style="background-color:white">766 Irving Avenue</span></div>
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<span style="background-color:white">Syracuse, NY 13210</span></div>
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<span style="background-color:white">Phone: 315-464-7958</span></div>
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<span style="color:black">Email: </span><span style="color:rgb(0,120,215)"><a href="mailto:waickmaa@upstate.edu" title="mailto:waickmaa@upstate.edu" data-outlook-id="6a0d8534-5cf1-470d-92ab-741c44467710" style="color:rgb(0,120,215); margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px"><u>waickmaa@upstate.edu</u></a></span></div>
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