The School of Medicine has presented Distinguished Community Service Awards to 11 Yale students, recognizing their outstanding volunteer service to individuals and organizations in the City of New Haven.
Dr. Robert H. Gifford, associate dean for education and student affairs, presented the Distinguished Community Service Awards to the students -- six in the medical school, two in epidemiology and public health EPH and three in nursing -- on Jan. 20 during the school's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance in Sterling Hall of Medicine. These students and others heard an address by Ossie Davis, the celebrated actor, playwright and civil rights activist. See related story, page 1.
In announcing the sixth annual awards, Dr. Gifford stated, "These outstanding students have made great contributions to the New Haven community. They and their many classmates who voluntarily participate in community service truly are committed to the service of others. As physicians and health-care professionals to be, they are beginning to grapple with societal problems that affect our personal and our national health. Their community work is as important to our curriculum as the study of anatomy."
The outstanding students, selected on the basis of their exemplary leadership, commitment and dedication to community service, and their volunteer projects are:
A.J. Babineau, a third-year medical student who has worked with the Prenatal Care Program, Buddies Just for Kids and Project HOPE Homeless Outreach Program for Enrichment. Last year, she organized a domestic violence workshop for health professions students.
Kathryn Cunningham, a second-year medical student who has served as co-leader of Columbus House. There she ran a summer orientation to maintain a summer clinic; requested donations for medications and worked with others to write fund-raising grants; and served on a team that renovated the clinic to provide more privacy for the clients.
Alison Days, a second-year medical student who has been involved in the Anatomy Teaching Program ATP, the Health Professional Recruitment and Exposure Program HPREP, Physicians for Social Responsibility, the Adolescent Substance Abuse Program ASAP, the Prenatal Care Project, and Students Teaching AIDS to Students STATS. As co-leader of the Family Practice Interest Group, she helped organize a day to provide free primary-care services to New Haven families.
Ben Doolittle, a fourth-year medical student who has been involved in the Buddies Just for Kids program. At the Pilgrim Congregational Church, where he has been the church pastor for the last five years, he recreated and rejuvenated Sunday School classes and many other youth activities to involve children in the Fair Haven neighborhood.
Laura Fadil, a second-year nursing school student who has served as the community coordinator for the School of Nursing and is an active member of the Yale Committee on Volunteer Services. She co-coordinates the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen.
Jordan Hampton, a second-year nursing school student who helps coordinate Douglas House and has employed her experience in education to improve health modules for adolescents at the shelter. She has developed a mentor program with the Career High School Nurses Aides class, participated in STATS and serves on the Committee Overseeing Volunteer Services.
Dionne Otey, a second-year EPH student who has been involved in STATS and Buddies Just for Kids. She has been a leader in organizing new activities, such as the domestic violence workshop, at the Boys and Girls Club. She has also volunteered significant time on a one-on-one basis at Career High School.
Scott Porter, a fourth-year medical student who has worked both with ASAP and ATP, and has provided constant support for the Student National Medical Association's Saturday HPREP program, which he helped establish.
Neda Sharghi, a second-year EPH student who has served as co-leader of Columbus House. Under her stewardship, the program has gained momentum, and she has been instrumental in recruiting more EPH students.
Beth Steinmiller, a second-year nursing student who has volunteered at Douglas House, where she has worked to recruit nurse practitioners to staff the clinic. She started a data collection system to track the populations at three shelters. She is one of the three overall Project HOPE coordinators who organized an integrated lecture series on homeless health care issues.
Obi Ugwonali, a second-year medical student who has served as vice president of the Yale chapter of the Student National Medical Association and as the coordinator of its HPREP. As a member of ASAP, he has taught students at the Roberto Clemente Junior High School about the effects of drugs and alcohol.