11/25/2025
As we recognize Native American Heritage Month, we are grateful for the legacy of Loma Linda’s earliest alumni. Loma Linda’s medical community has a close connection with the Serrano people, today known as the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation. The relationship began with care provided by Loma Linda’s early physician alumni more than 100 years ago.
One of the first was Lyra George, AMMC* Class of 1901, an OB-GYN who moved to Loma Linda in 1911 with her husband, Dr. William A. George. George provided essential healthcare to rural communities, including the San Manuel Nation, at a time when their access to medical care was limited.
In April 2025, The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians changed their name to Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation. The change marked a return to their ancestral name, which means “People of the Pines.”
*AMMC—American Medical Missionary College was the medical school at Andrews University that closed in 1910. The Alumni Association adopted their medical alumni as partof the Alumni Association.