Donors and Scholars Unite at Annual Celebratory Luncheon
May 9, 2025
On May 3, scholarship donors and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine medical students gathered at The Peninsula Chicago Hotel to celebrate the extraordinary impact of scholarship support at the annual Commitment to Scholarships luncheon.
Approximately 230 attendees heard remarks from two student speakers, Marianne Green, MD, vice dean for Education and chair of the Department of Medical Education, and donor Sabrina Mumford, who along with her husband, David, established the Earl M. Mumford, MD and Ann Mumford Family Scholarship.
“Your vision and commitment make it possible for us to sustain and expand this vital effort of supporting students through scholarships,” said Dr. Green, who is also the Raymond H. Curry, MD, Professor, and a scholarship donor.
Today, Feinberg’s scholarship endowment is $267 million, with 65% of medical students receiving scholarship assistance thanks to thousands of donors who have made outright and estate gifts. Together, donors support a total of 219 scholarships benefiting a mix of merit- and need-based students.
“The more successful we are in raising scholarship funds, the more we can ensure that students choose and pursue medicine based on their passion, purpose, and the tremendous effort they put into their training—not financial constraints,” Dr. Green added.
‘Thank You’ from Scholars
Kicking off this year’s guest remarks, Class of 2028 medical student Juan McCook expressed his profound gratitude, crediting his scholarship with giving him the freedom to take control of his future—emphasizing that its impact extends far beyond financial support. “Ultimately, you have granted us the freedom to take control of our lives,” McCook said.
Raised in a low-income neighborhood near Orlando, Florida, McCook grew up in a two-bedroom apartment with four siblings. Despite attending underfunded schools and facing limited resources, he said he was driven by his parents’ sacrifices and a strong desire to succeed.
After earning a degree in biochemistry and biophysics from Northwestern University, McCook shifted his focus from research to medicine. The scholarship lifted the financial burden of medical school, allowing him to pursue his passion for helping others.
Anna Haigh, also a Class of 2028 medical student, shared her journey to medical school from a small rural town in western Pennsylvania. As the eldest of five siblings, she said she witnessed the effects of healthcare disparities and community mistrust firsthand. Despite these challenges, basketball became her bridge to opportunity, instilling the discipline and resilience that helped her become the first in her family to pursue medicine.
Haigh spoke with deep gratitude for the Feinberg community and the donors who made medical school possible. She described the moment she donned her white coat as a life-changing milestone, symbolizing the beginning of her path toward becoming a physician. Quoting a childhood favorite—“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift”—she reminded attendees that their support fills students’ futures with hope and possibility.
“Because of your generosity, our tomorrows are filled with endless opportunity,” Haigh said. “And today, we celebrate that gift. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”
Crystal Apple Awardees
Three exemplary donors were honored with Crystal Apple Awards for their dedication to scholarships.
Bonnie Typlin, ’74 MD, a beloved pediatrician and Northwestern alum, was recognized with a 2025 Crystal Apple Award for nearly five decades of philanthropic support and service. A double Northwestern graduate, she earned both her undergraduate and medical degrees from the university, funding her education through scholarships and loans that took decades to repay.
Motivated by her own journey, Dr. Typlin of Tucson, Arizona, has been a steadfast advocate for scholarships. She led efforts to establish and grow the Class of 1974 Scholarship, which has supported Feinberg students for 14 consecutive years, and her leadership has fostered a strong sense of pride and giving within her class.
Additionally, Dr. Typlin and her husband, John Kaiser, recently made a generous bequest to benefit both the Class of 1974 Scholarship and the Northwestern Alumni Association’s Council of 100, further cementing her reputation for giving back.
Marshall Sparberg, '57, ’60 MD, a Northwestern alum and longtime Chicago-based gastroenterologist, was honored with the 2025 Crystal Apple Award for his enduring contributions to the university and the medical community. Also a Northwestern double graduate, he built a successful private practice just steps from where he earned his degrees more than 60 years ago.
Dr. Sparberg shared a rich life with his late wife, Eve, who worked alongside him as his office manager for over two decades. In 2023, he established a four-year scholarship in her memory.
A dedicated volunteer, Dr. Sparberg remains active with the Medical Alumni Association and is a proud member of the Half Century Club, exemplifying leadership, generosity, and lifelong commitment to Northwestern.
Olympia Asimacopoulos and Thomas Bournias, MD, ’92 GMER, were recognized with the 2025 Crystal Apple Award for over 30 years of service, mentorship, and support. Dr. Bournias, a Northwestern-trained ophthalmologist, has served on faculty for 27 years and is a respected mentor and Medical Alumni Association Board member. Asimacopoulos has worked over three decades on the medical school staff, focusing on student scholarships and donor engagement, and leads the planning of the annual scholarship luncheon. In 2024, the couple established the Olympia Asimacopoulos and Thomas E. Bournias, MD Family Scholarship, creating a lasting legacy for their family.
Wildcat Pride
Sabrina Mumford, of Santa Monica, California, shared remarks on behalf of her family, whose history of attending the university made joining the growing community of donors to scholarships a no-brainer, she said.
Her husband, David, is a proud 1976 graduate from the School of Communication, her two children are 2018 and 2024 graduates, and her father-in-law, Earl M. Mumford, ’54 MD, the namesake for the scholarship, was a proud Northwestern Medical School alum and successful orthopaedic surgeon in Sioux City, Iowa.
“By investing in you and in this incredible program, we feel connected to Earl, and just as importantly, to you,” Mumford told scholars in the audience.
Mumford praised Adetola Coker, ’24 MD, the first Mumford Family Scholar, for her brilliance, passion, and kindness, and expressed gratitude for the many opportunities the Mumfords had to spend time with her over her four-year medical school career. Dr. Coker is now a resident at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
Addressing donors, Mumford said, “We are all continuing [Earl Mumford’s] legacy. Not just in orthopaedics, but in all medical disciplines. Earl would absolutely love this. It is the most worthy investment we have ever made.”
For more information, or to support scholarships, please contact Larry Kuhn at larry-kuhn@northwestern.edu or 312-503-1717.