Seniors Cathy Resler and Jeff Marootian and graduating medical school student Susan Fisher-Owens will receive the GW Award at Commencement May 20. The award is given to faculty, staff and graduating students whose accomplishments have had a broad, significant impact on the community.
Fisher-Owens, who will graduate in May from GW’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences, established Supporting Hospitals Abroad with Medical Resources and Equipment, a program that recycles unused medical supplies and sends them to Third World countries. She also served for the Physicians for Human Rights and trained guide dogs for Guiding Eyes for the Blind while at GW.
Similar programs at Yale and Johns Hopkins universities inspired Fisher-Owens to found the program at GW. The program has about 75 participants is responsible for sending $100,000 in medical supplies to Third World countries after functioning for six months, Fisher-Owens said.
After Commencement Fisher-Owens said she plans to complete her pediatrics residency at the Children’s National Medical Center in D.C.
During his four years at GW, Marootian, a human services major, served as a member of the Foggy Bottom Advisory Neighborhood Commission, Colonial Inauguration co-coordinator and vice president for community affairs in the Student Association. He will attend GW’s School of Business and Public Management to earn a master’s degree in public administration as a Presidential Administrative Fellow next fall.
Resler, an environmental studies major with a double minor in biology and economics, served as the executive vice president of the SA and has worked on the Dining Services Commission and Gelman Library Advisory Board. She plans to attend law school.
Five faculty and staff members will receive the award. Associate Vice President for Academic Planning and Special Projects Craig Linebaugh, educational leadership professor Dennis Holmes, Prometheus developer Clyde Lee Davis IV, Assistant Vice President for University Relations Sandy Holland and Supervisor of Housekeeping Service Thelma Spriggs will be honored at Commencement.
-Jason J. Safdi?
