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WesternU's East West Dinner raises more than $100,000 for student scholarships

by Rodney Tanaka

April 14, 2014

Read 4 mins

 

Western University of Health Sciences celebrated the accomplishments of students while also setting records for attendance and money raised at the 8th Annual East West Scholarship Dinner April 12, 2014 in San Gabriel, Calif.

More than 30 WesternU students from 10 disciplines collectively received more than $40,000 in scholarships.

“Let me say to our friends who are here tonight, you are paying tribute to some very important people,” said WesternU President Philip Pumerantz, PhD. “These students being honored tonight will be the healers of our communities, who will make a difference in our lives and in the quality of life of our community. They will be people we can count on. People we can trust, who will care for us.”

WesternU sold a record 319 tickets to the East West Scholarship Dinner, beating last year’s tally of 293, said WesternU Senior Vice President Thomas G. Fox, PhD. The dinner raised $110,000, another record. Much of that money will go into the East West Endowment Fund, taking the endowment to more than $300,000, Fox said.

Scholarship recipients were selected on academic achievement, financial need and community service. Third-year College of Podiatric Medicine student Muhaiminu Hossain, DPM ’15, said volunteering for community service keeps her grounded and motivated.

“It reminds me constantly why I got into this profession,” she said. “To meet the people who are supporting me through this is humbling and an honor. I really appreciate it.”

WesternU honored Jonathan Y.H. Wu, MD, PhD, President and Chairman of AHMC Healthcare Inc., operator of a Southern California network of hospitals that employs more than 2,500 physicians and treats more than 200,000 patients annually.

AHMC Healthcare Inc. operates several hospitals in the Greater Los Angeles area and Orange County: Alhambra Hospital Medical Center, AHMC Anaheim Regional Medical Center, Garfield Medical Center, Greater El Monte Community Hospital, Monterey Park Hospital, San Gabriel Valley Medical Center, and Whittier Hospital Medical Center. AHMC Healthcare Inc. is recognized for the finest culturally sensitive and compassionate care available to patients in the area, and for providing high-quality clinical care in a compassionate and caring environment.

Dr. Wu was called out of town and was unable to attend. Accepting the award on his behalf was David Batista, Chief Executive Officer of Garfield Medical Center.

“Dr. Jonathan Wu is a tireless educator of our seven hospitals,” Batista said. “Our Garfield Medical Center halls are filled with many students from WesternU. Many of the leaders at AHMC come from WesternU. We’re extremely proud to have that affiliation. Congratulations to WesternU and all the (scholarship) recipients tonight, and we look forward to having you inside the AHMC facilities in the future.”

Renowned actor and producer George Cheung served as master of ceremonies. College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific Chair and Professor of the Department of Family Medicine Alan D. Cundari, DO ’85, served as the East West Scholarship Committee Chairman.

Tai-Hing Wu, MD, PharmD, established the Dr. Tai-Hing Wu Scholarship in 2003. The scholarship provides a $1,500 award each year. Dr. Wu, a physician with a family practice in Los Angeles’ Chinatown, has been a strong supporter of this scholarship fund dinner for more than 18 years. WesternU announced at the dinner that Dr. Wu has donated an additional $20,000 to create an endowed scholarship to be given annually to a physician assistant student beginning in 2015.

COMP student Jennifer Seyffert, DO ’16, became the first recipient of the Robert P. Colen DO ’94 Scholarship, created with contributions from classmates and friends in memory of Dr. Colen, an orthopedic surgeon who died suddenly in the summer of 2012. Dr. Colen was one of the first recipients of the Asian American Scholarship, which later became the East West Scholarship. He then became a generous supporter of the scholarship program and was honored at the 2011 East West Scholarship Dinner.

Fourth-year COMP student Melanie Wu, DO ’14, received the Wong Family Scholarship and thanked all the scholarship supporters.

“On behalf of my fellow award recipients, I wholeheartedly thank you, benefactors and scholarship award committee members, for this tremendous show of support toward our health care profession and career and for and the financial assistance that you have provided here tonight for us,” she said. “It is an honor for us to receive this award for our community service, which is in itself an act of giving. This act of giving is a result of what we have learned at WesternU to empower and improve our communities. We look forward to continuing our lives as compassionate health care professionals.”

The 2014 East West Scholarship Dinner Diamond Sponsor is Dr. and Mrs. Armand Newman.

The Gold Sponsors are: Arcadia Dental Group, Garfield Medical Center & Anaheim Regional Medical Center, Pacific Alliance Medical Center, USC-California Hospital Medical Center, Geri and Bob Witt, Kon Leung, DDS and Josephine Yeong.

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