Excellence in Teaching: Dr. Donald Brown

Donald Brown (62BA, 65MS, 66MD) considers himself fortunate.

Brown—in his 50th and final year as a cardiologist, educator, and researcher at the University of Iowa—has found success in every chapter of his esteemed career. The Manchester, Iowa, native is grateful to have learned from and worked with many leaders in medicine. “There have been so many individuals who have made a personal and professional difference in my life, while also making a major impact on the lives of so many patients and medical students,” says Brown.

That shared desire for impact is why he and his wife, Judy Barkalow, have supported medical and physician assistant student education efforts through their charitable giving. They’ve left a bequest in their will to support the Dr. Donald D. Brown and Judy K. Barkalow Faculty Support Fund in Cardiology, which will provide financial support for cardiovascular faculty extensively involved in student medical education in the UI Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine.

“Judy and I were planning for the future, and we both wanted to give back in a way that was positive for the University of Iowa and for the people of Iowa,” says Brown, who will officially retire in June 2023. “We decided to set up a fund that would support one or two individuals who focus on administering, directing, and delivering medical and physician assistant student education. I’ve been able to do things that have given me a sense of fulfillment, and at the top of the list is contributing to medical education here at Iowa. How could I not feel this way, given that I have been so lucky to have benefited from such wonderful role models and friends along the way.”

Join us in honoring Dr. Brown, a true champion in the field of Cardiology, as he concludes his extraordinary career at the University of Iowa. We invite you to make a meaningful gift to the Dr. Donald D. Brown and Judy K. Barkalow Faculty Support Fund in Cardiology to recognize Don’s exceptional contribution to medical education and to perpetuate the standard of teaching excellence Don has embodied at Iowa.

In addition to your donation, we invite you to share your heartfelt wishes and personal messages with Dr. Brown. This is an opportunity to express your appreciation with him and celebrate his outstanding career. We also encourage you to extend this invitation to others who have been positively influenced by Dr. Brown, giving them the chance to contribute and join in celebrating his remarkable achievements.

NOTICE: The University of Iowa Center for Advancement is an operational name for the State University of Iowa Foundation, an independent, Iowa nonprofit corporation organized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, publicly supported charitable entity working to advance the University of Iowa. Please review its full disclosure statement.

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