News and Progress

Medical school scholarship supports nontraditional students

Oct. 29, 2009

In 2004, a medical diagnosis ended Jeremy Stanek’s musical career. Before that, he was a professional trumpet player earning his master’s degree in music at the University of New Mexico. The experience inspired him to attend medical school and become a doctor. Now, as a first-year medical student at Mizzou, a scholarship from Joseph Basler and his wife, Lori, is helping Stanek reach his goal.

To support medical students like Stanek, the Baslers donated $2,000 to the MU School of Medicine. The funds allow the school to award two $1,000 scholarships to first-year medical students. Preference is given to students who have nonprofessional backgrounds and financial need. It’s a situation Basler, MD ’93 — a radiologist who teaches at Southern Illinois University in Springfield — describes as similar to his own.

“MU gave me a chance,” Basler says. “When I applied for med school, I was an older student from a nontraditional background. The way I see it, I was given a unique opportunity, and I think it’s a really good idea to give back to the university that gave you your start.”

Near the end of his master’s program at the University of New Mexico, Stanek started having difficulties playing the trumpet. “I started losing my range and endurance,” he says. A Chicago physician eventually diagnosed him with a task-specific neuromuscular disorder that only affects his trumpet playing. It prevents his lip muscles from making the fine adjustments that they need to make to play the notes.

Stanek took about a year to figure out what he was going to do, and finally decided on going to medical school. “I didn’t want my education and experience as a professional performer to go to waste,” he says. “I thought I’d follow the lead of my physician and go into performing arts medicine, so I could treat other musicians and dancers.”

Basler says, “If you fund individual scholarships each year, you can still give benefits to students now without having to wait until you’ve died and an estate endowment becomes active. We’ve been blessed and we want to be a blessing to others before we die.”

Because the Baslers also wanted to do something to help students in the future, in addition to their $2,000 gift, they have committed a large share of their estate to create a scholarship endowment after their deaths. For this gift, the University of Missouri recognizes the Baslers as Jefferson Club Very Distinguished Fellows and Legacy Society members.