Nathan Smith Davis Club
Nathan Smith Davis Club Honors Alumni Contributions, Develops Scholarship for Deserving Students
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| Bruce F. Scharschmidt, MD, president of the Nathan Smith Davis Club. |
The Nathan Smith Davis Club was established in 1965 in honor of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine's first dean, Dr. Nathan Smith Davis, a champion of medical education and founder of the American Medical Association and JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association. For more than 40 years, the Club's mission has been to encourage strong financial support from both alumni and faculty and to honor the medical school's most devoted philanthropic partners. Currently, the Club boasts almost 700 members.
"Donor contributions help fund scholarships, departmental and center efforts, and all the other needs of the medical school," said Ginny Darakjian, assistant dean for Alumni Relations. "We honor our donors because we truly appreciate their support."
Bruce F. Scharschmidt, MD '70, has been active on the Medical Alumni Association national board for six years and now serves as president of the Nathan Smith Davis Club. Membership in the Club is meaningful, he says, because the association helps Northwestern retain its status among the nation's elite medical schools.
"The medical school has entered the top echelon of schools nationally and internationally – but we can't rest or we will backslide," says Scharschmidt. "The support of loyal alumni — financial and otherwise — is critical to attracting top talent in both students and faculty."
Members can donate to any fund in the medical school. These donors are recognized in one of the Club's three levels: members, life members and the distinguished fellows circle; their contributions are celebrated at the annual alumni weekend dinner-dance.
Together with Alumni Relations and the Office of Development, Scharschmidt has spearheaded the development of Nathan Smith Davis Club scholarships for Feinberg students. The $12,500 per year grants will be awarded to one student in each class based on both merit and need. The first of the Club's scholars were announced Nov. 16 and include the following first year medical students: Brittne Halford, Jay Sarthy and Miguel Visbal.
"We anticipate that this prestigious scholarship will help us both attract top students and raise the national profile of the Nathan Smith Davis Club name," says Scharschmidt. "My ultimate goals are to enhance the visibility of the Club and the attractiveness of being a member."