2025 marked the 10th anniversary of Standing Out in Our Field, the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine’s largest and most impactful scholarship fundraiser.

By Dawn Nolan

An atmosphere of fellowship and philanthropy filled the Barboursville Soccer Complex on Aug. 23, 2025, as more than 500 students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members gathered for the 10th Standing Out in Our Field event in support of the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.

“The idea behind Standing Out in Our Field is to bring together two important aspects of the medical school,” said David Gozal, MD, MBA, PhD (Hon), vice president for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine at Marshall University. “First, we want the community to be engaged with the medical school and to participate in raising the next generations of physicians for West Virginia and the world. We also want to recognize them for their contributions to the medical school, its students and its mission. And second, as a corollary of that community engagement, we want to reduce, to the best of our ability, the debt incurred by our medical students during their medical school training.”

This year’s Las Vegas-themed outdoor event raised approximately $120,000 for the School of Medicine’s scholarship endowment fund. Including previous years, Standing Out in Our Field has raised more than $1 million for the fund and has directly benefited hundreds of future physicians.

“Medical students can graduate with anywhere from $160,000 to $200,000 or more in debt,” said Linda Holmes, associate dean for development and alumni affairs. “So, whatever we can do to provide scholarships to reduce their debt willl allow them to start on a firmer foundation once they finish their residencies and/or fellowships.”

Chef Steven Nakano, MD (’15), and his wife, Hanna, worked with Linda Holmes to turn Standing Out in Our Field into the large-scale event it is today.

Standing Out in Our Field originated as the brainchild of Holmes and Chef Steven Nakano, MD (’15).

“I had this unique background in cooking; and historically, I had done these kinds of dinners where you would auction off a meal with an institutional leader or department chair,” Dr. Nakano said. “The original idea for Standing Out in Our Field was to auction a dinner with then-Dean Joseph Shapiro for you and your friends that would be catered by the medical students.”

However, Dr. Nakano credited Holmes with turning the idea into a reality.

“I voiced that concept to Linda, and everything after that was 100% her,” he said. “I just said this little thing that triggered something in her head, and she turned it into this massive event.”

Dean Dr. David Gozal joins attendees at Standing Out in Our Field 2023, part of a decade-long tradition that raises support for future physicians.

Food remains central to the event. Previous themes include “Boots & Bling,” “Margaritaville” and “A Night in Havana.” For this year’s theme, “Viva Las Vegas,” Cabell Huntington Hospital Executive Chef Don Sallada created a Sin City-inspired menu, featuring “High Roller Appetizers,” “Vegas Strip Salads” and “Casino Breads & Spreads,” as well as “Family-Style Big Wins,” “Jackpot from the Grill” and “Casino Dessert Delights.”

As in years past, medical students volunteered as waitstaff.

“That’s what makes it really unique,” Holmes said.

From its inaugural event in 2014 through 2019, Standing Out in Our Field was hosted at the Proctorville farm of Dr. Bobby Miller (’97) and Eric Hardin-Miller. After a two-year pause during the COVID-19 pandemic, the event returned in full force in 2022 with a move to Barboursville Park.

“We probably had 100 people at the first event, and we have grown to nearly 500 guests since then,” Holmes said. “We’ve established this date in August, so people can mark their calendars and look forward to it. Dr. Miller gave us our start, and we are forever appreciative of that. Then, for the last few years, we’ve had the incredible support of Barboursville Mayor Chris Tatum and Brandi Beasley, the director of the Barboursville CVB.”

Andrea Lauffer, MD (’10), president of the School of Medicine Alumni Association, co-chaired this year’s event with her husband, Caleb Huff, MD (’13).

“Each year we see more and more people, and not just within our own medical school but also community members who are attending and becoming more engaged with the event, which is amazing,” Dr. Lauffer said. “It’s truly a community effort. Our hope is that those numbers continue to increase, because it will only further benefit our medical student scholarships and help give more students a world-class education here at Marshall.”

As the School of Medicine looks to the future, this decade-long tradition continues to shape the next generation of physicians.

“Ten years isn’t just a milestone — it’s a legacy honoring a decade of generosity, community and support for our medical students,” Holmes said. “Standing Out in Our Field has grown into a tradition with a powerful purpose: raising essential scholarship funds that help future physicians follow their calling by easing the burden of financial barriers. Year after year, this event proves that when we come together, we don’t just celebrate — we change lives. I look forward to many more years of Standing Out in Our Field.”

Date Posted: Thursday, March 19, 2026