▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁Laur ance ▁Rock ef eller ▁contributed ▁the ▁same ▁amount . ▁ ▁The ▁friendship ▁between ▁Nelson ▁Rock ef eller ▁and ▁W . ▁Kenneth ▁R il and ▁was ▁an ▁important ▁factor ▁in ▁the ▁found ing ▁of ▁the ▁medical ▁college . ▁ ▁Dr . ▁R il and ▁served ▁as ▁Mr . ▁Rock ef eller ’ s ▁personal ▁phys ician ▁during ▁his ▁governor ship ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁as ▁well ▁during ▁his ▁vice - pres iden cy ▁in ▁the ▁Ford ▁administration . ▁ ▁To ▁honor ▁the ▁efforts ▁and ▁contributions ▁of ▁Governor ▁Rock ef eller , ▁the ▁Nelson ▁A . ▁Rock ef eller ▁Academ ic ▁Center ▁was ▁dedicated ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁inaug ural ▁class ▁of ▁ 3 4 ▁students ▁graduated ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁ ▁An ▁honor ary ▁Doctor ▁of ▁La ws ▁degree ▁was ▁awarded ▁to ▁Dr . ▁W . ▁Kenneth ▁R il and , ▁who ▁was ▁hon ored ▁for ▁his ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁college . ▁ ▁The ▁W . ▁Kenneth ▁R il and ▁Academ ic ▁Health ▁Care ▁Center , ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁is ▁located ▁on ▁campus ▁and ▁serves ▁as ▁a ▁clin ic ▁and ▁teaching ▁hospital . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁construction ▁began ▁on ▁campus ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁Hann ah ▁and ▁Charles ▁Ser ota ▁Academ ic ▁Center . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁the ▁building ▁opened ▁for ▁basic ▁and ▁pre - cl in ical ▁science ▁lect