Governor Branstad's visit to Pella CANCELLED

DES MOINES, IA (07/14/2009)(readMedia)--

This visit has been cancelled due to scheduling conflicts. Apologies for any inconvenience. He hopes to visit Pella this fall.

Governor Terry E. Branstad, president and CEO of Des Moines University (DMU), will be in Pella on July 24, to speak to the Rotary Club and network with local DMU alumni. The Club's meeting will be held at noon at Pella Country Club, 600 Elm St.

While in Pella, Governor Branstad will also be available for media interviews before or after the Rotary meeting. To schedule an interview, please contact Courtney Tompkins at 515.271.1576.

Governor Branstad will discuss the impact of DMU students in Iowa and abroad, particularly programs that serve the needs of rural communities in Iowa and Third World countries. He will also talk about some of the exciting technological advances being incorporated into the medical school curriculum, as well as the importance of a lifelong prevention of disease. His stop in Pella is the fifth in a statewide tour visiting DMU alumni and community groups.

Former Iowa Governor Terry E. Branstad was named the president and CEO of Des Moines University in August 2003. Branstad is the 14th president in the University's 111-year history. Governor Branstad served four consecutive terms as governor of Iowa, from 1983 to 1999. When elected, he was the youngest governor in Iowa history; and, when he left office, he was Iowa's longest-serving governor. A native of Leland, Iowa, he earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa in 1969 and a law degree from Drake University in 1974. He was a partner in general law practice in Lake Mills, Iowa, from 1974 through 1982.

Des Moines University is the only private medical school in Iowa, offering graduate-level, professional degree programs in osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, anatomy, biomedical sciences, health care administration and public health. Founded in 1898, the University offers superior academics in a collaborative environment. DMU students' pass rate on national examinations and board certifications is consistently higher than the national average and the rates at similar institutions. The campus also includes a ten-story multi-specialty medical clinic.