The Office of Diversity and Community Relations launched the President’s Leadership in Diversity Awards in 2020. These awards recognize significant achievements of graduating students from our doctoral and graduate programs who have made unique contributions to advance diversity and inclusion at PCOM.
Award recipients have implemented initiatives which cultivate, advance or model diversity and inclusion within the PCOM community. Nominees are evaluated by a committee representing faculty and staff from each of our three locations using the following criteria:
Julia Burns serves as the president of the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) at PCOM. Through this role, she has led the members of AMWA to become leaders in diversity. Ms. Burns championed the Girl Talk initiative with No More Secrets: Mind, Body, Spirit - a Philadelphia non-profit fighting period poverty. This connection to the community led Ms. Burns to focus her capstone project on period poverty policy in Pennsylvania. Ms. Burns is also actively involved in the Student National Medical Association (SNMA), Cultural Competency Program and the PCOM AID Club. View Julia's PCOM graduate profile.
Through her work in the Student National Medical Association (SNMA), Miranda Nortey expanded the footprint of PCOM both regionally and nationally. Ms. Nortey has served SNMA Region VIII as the associate regional director, parliamentarian and policy advocacy liaison, as well as the regional future leadership liaison. Ms. Nortey also co-founded DOctors Redefining Limits – a two week trip to Ghana to teach students about osteopathic medicine and gain clinical experience.
As course coordinator for the interprofessional education (IPE) curriculum, Ashley Poole, PsyD, has the unique opportunity to create connections that foster diversity and inclusion across the college. As a group leader in IPE, Ms. Poole has had the opportunity to lead discussions and develop resources focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. Ms. Poole also serves as a research assistant for IPE, which allowed her to contribute to an article for The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association and present at various conferences.
SIn her time at PCOM, Jodi Hasko worked to revive the Culturally Aware Psychology Students (CAPS) program. She served as president of the organization and worked to connect CAPS to other diversity programs on campus. Ms. Hasko collaborated with faculty and fellow students to present strategies to increase diversity in the counseling field at the Pennsylvania Counseling Association’s Annual Conference.
Through his work with Focus on Fathers, Kareem Chappell is actively impacting many of the social determinants of health in Philadelphia. Mr. Chappell facilitates and teaches healthy parenting classes for fathers from a range of racial and ethnic backgrounds with the goal of reuniting these fathers with their children. Mr. Chappell plans to advance his commitment to diversity and inclusion post-graduation by creating a rites of passage program for fathers and their sons and advocating for resources to support this population.
Anne Belocura is a work study student in the PCOM Georgia Office of Diversity and Community Relations. In this role she has supported both the LGBTQIA and Diversity Councils. Ms. Belocura curates and designs Lifeline, the PCOM Georgia LGBTQIA newsletter, and handles all correspondence that is affiliated with the office. Ms. Belocura’s work on campus goes beyond her official role in the Office of Diversity and Community Partnerships. She is the secretary of the graduate council, a member of PCOM Med Alliance and Family Medicine Club, and volunteers at the Hi-Hope Center to empower adults with disabilities.
As co-founder of the PCOM Georgia chapter of the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA), Nicole McManus raised the profile of the College in the Atlanta area Latino student community. Ms. McManus is actively involved on the LMSA Southeast Regional Board and has championed additional PCOM Georgia students in their involvement on the Southeast Regional Board. Additionally, Ms. McManus drafted and won the bid to host the LMSA Southeast Regional Conference on campus. Ms. McManus received the Alfred D’Alonzo Student Memorial Fund Award to design and implement a medical Spanish pilot program that was expanded to an student government-backed medical Spanish program the following year. Additionally, Ms. McManus is a co-author of a book chapter in Hispanic Medical Students: More than a Center of Leadership and Advocacy scheduled to be published in September 2020.
Janine Miller served as a student team leader and a mentor for the Science and Math Summer Academy. This two week program serves to introduce high school students who are underrepresented to career possibilities in the medical, health and science fields. As a member of both the Student Government Association and Student Organization Council, Ms. Miller has spent countless hours advocating for and supporting organizations and programs focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion. Another contribution to the community includes her work to establish the inaugural Student National Pharmacist Association (SNPhA) at PCOM Georgia – a student run nationally recognized organization for African American students. Learn more about Janine Miller, PharmD.
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