JAMES M. STECKELBERG
(Nebraska & Merton 1976) (8 May 1954 - 21 February 2020))
Jim graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1975 with a double major in computer science and mathematics. After being selected for the Rhodes Scholarship, he was due to attend Oxford University, where he initially planned to study mathematics and receive his PhD. However, he developed symptoms of severe Guillain Barre syndrome, requiring hospitalization for an extended period of time before leaving for Oxford.
This experience ignited his interest in medicine, and ultimately altered his career path and life course. He went on to study physiology at Oxford, after which he attended Mayo Medical School. He met his wife Christie while in medical school in Rochester, and graduated in 1982. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic in 1985, followed by a fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Mayo.
Jim served as the department chair for the division of Infectious Diseases. Among his many career accolades as a Professor Emeritus of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, he was most proud of being named Mayo Teacher of the Year and loved to teach future generations of physicians. He retired in December 2018 after a long and fulfilling career.