While spring is typically a season for growth and development, it is also a season for celebratory events, and for higher education that means awards and commencement ceremonies. The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) recognized medical students for their achievements in academics and community involvement during the school’s annual Spring Awards Ceremony.
The event took place March 21, and recipients received a total of $119,150 through 37 scholarships, awards and certificates of appreciation. Awards are provided by an endowment or funds established at the WVSOM Foundation.
WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., says he is grateful to WVSOM’s donors for recognizing the importance of giving back to the next generation of health care professionals.
“A gift to WVSOM is a gift to a future physician. The impact these scholarship dollars have on students is profound,” he says. “The work that the WVSOM Foundation, along with the WVSOM Alumni Association, puts in to secure these donations should also be recognized. It isn’t always easy to raise scholarship dollars, but these organizations work tirelessly to share the message of the positive impact donations make for our students.”
The WVSOM Foundation is a supporting organization of WVSOM whose goal is to serve the school and its students by securing, managing and allocating the financial contributions of businesses and individuals. Along with the WVSOM Alumni Association, the foundation is the main organization responsible for philanthropic efforts at WVSOM.
This year, new awards were The Chancellor’s Scholarship, Faheem Family Scholarship, Ghiathi Scholarship, Andy R. Tanner and D. Dewayne Duncan Diversity Scholarship and Hamza Syed Recognition Award.
Four of the five new scholarships were secured through the WVSOM Foundation. Donette Mizia, WVSOM’s executive director of foundation relations, says new scholarships are proof that alumni and businesses continue to recognize the importance of investing in future doctors.
“We are excited to introduce four new scholarships this year, a clear reflection of the continued support from our alumni and friends of WVSOM. Investing in our students through scholarships is crucial, as it ensures that talented and driven individuals have the opportunity to pursue their dreams of becoming doctors,” she says. “This support helps alleviate financial barriers, allowing our students to focus on their education and ultimately make a lasting impact on health care in our communities and beyond.”
The Faheem Family Scholarship is a new award that recognizes a student who exemplifies strong academic qualifications and has a desire to practice in West Virginia after graduating. The award is given to a student from Barbour, Boone, Braxton, Cabell, Calhoun, Clay, Fayette, Gilmer, Lewis, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Nicholas, Roane, Summers, Wayne, Webster and Wyoming counties in West Virginia.
Ahmed Faheem, M.D., is a psychiatrist and preceptor who was interested in starting a scholarship because he saw the caliber of medical students who shadowed him in his Beckley, WV, office. Preceptors assist and provide guidance to WVSOM students in their third- and fourth-year clinical rotations.
“During the last 30 years I’ve seen how WVSOM has grown and the quality of students they have had, and I know how successful these students are once they graduate,” he says. “I’ve been so impressed by the success of this school that I thought there would be no better cause than to support these students who are willing to stay in West Virginia and give back.”
Logan Christian, a WVSOM Class of 2026 student, was the first recipient of the Faheem Family Scholarship. He said scholarships, especially in his clinical years, will help offset the cost of applications for audition rotations, books, supplies, taking board exams and other tests necessary for medical education. He says he is grateful to be the first student recognized with this award.
“It’s a great honor to be recognized for this award. The Faheem Family Scholarship is for students in West Virginia who would like to practice here in the future. I think that’s a way to encourage students to stay in West Virginia. We need more physicians in the state, so that’s a great thing,” Christian says.
The Spring Awards Ceremony focuses on first-, second- and third-year students, while additional awards and funds are provided to fourth-year students at WVSOM’s annual Graduation Awards Ceremony in May.
