Gifts: Busy spring for our Alumni Relations & Development team

It has been a very busy spring for the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry Alumni Relations & Development team. We are pleased to share news and celebrate the following gifts that were generously donated in the months of March and April.

  1. An anonymous bequest of $4,000,000 was committed to establish a medical student award.

  2. The estate of Dr. James H. Purvis (MD ’64) donated over $2,082,600 to continue the legacy that Dr. Purvis began in 2018 with an expendable gift that was named the Dr. James H. Purvis Bursary in Medicine. This bursary, awarded to Medical students at the Windsor Campus, will now be established on a “continuing” basis so that every year 2 incoming students will receive a total of $37,600 over their four years in the MD program. $188,000 of the gift will be used to establish the Dr. James H. Purvis Bursary in Medicine, MD Plus Masters. Awarded to full-time students in any year of the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program, Western campus, who are pursuing an additional Masters program in Medicine, based on demonstrated financial need.

  3. Dr. Stephen Jones (Family Medicine Resident ’94) made a generous donation to establish the Cathy MacLean Award in Rural Medicine, named in honour of his mentor. This award will provide two fourth-year MD students who have been accepted into a Family Medicine Rural/Regional Residency Training program with a $10,000 scholarship. Preference will be given to students who have expressed an interest in establishing a practice in rural Ontario.

  4. Drs. Robert & Gail Wilensky donated over $377,000 towards the Thomas & Gertrude Wilensky Scholarship, established in honour of Robert’s parents, Thomas (MD ’31) and Gertrude (BA ’33) Wilensky. The award is given annually to a third-year student in the Bachelor of Medical Sciences program who is enrolled in an Honours Specialization, Specialization or Major that includes Biochemistry or Physiology.

  5. David and Stephanie Whitford have committed a $200,000 bequest to support the Dr. Mohammed (Moody) Edwards Essex County Accessibility Award, which is awarded annually to first-year MD students based on academic scores, financial need, and a preference for students in Essex County.

  6. An anonymous bequest of $100,000 was committed to establish endowed scholarships in Dentistry.

  7. The Walker Wood Foundation donated $50,000 to support the James Walker Wood Award in Medicine, established in 2013, for an additional five years. The award is given annually to a fourth-year MD student pursuing a residency in Family Medicine, with a preference for rural family medicine.

  8. Nicole Balan and Richard Pearen donated a total of $25,000 to establish the Margaret Kesson Pearen Memorial Bursary, in memory of their mother and wife, Margaret Kesson Pearen. She graduated in 1967 from the faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto and was the first in her family to attend university. The award will support a third or fourth-year Medical Science or Neuroscience student based on financial need, with preference to a student who is the first in their family to attend post-secondary school.

  9. Dr. Bhooma Bhayana (MD ’85) & Dr. Vipin Bhayana established the Drs. Vipin and Bhooma Bhayana Award in Family Medicine with a donation of $25,000. The award will support fourth-year MD students specializing in Family Medicine and working in marginalized communities.

  10. Dr. Dhar Dhanda (MD’ 97 and Ophthalmology resident ‘02) & Mrs. Harv Dhanda and Family made a pledge of $25,000 to establish the Dhanda Family Award in Medicine, in memory of Dhar’s mother, Gurmej Kaur Dhanda. The award will support a fourth-year MD student who is planning to specialize in Rheumatology, with preference to female students.

  11. The estate of Dr. Hugh Edgar (MD ’58) donated $25,000 to the Meds Class of 1958 Award, which is awarded annually to a third-year MD student based on academic achievement and financial need.

  12. Cheri (BEd ’88, BSc ’87) & Arnold Drung and Family donated $12,500 to establish the Drung Family Award in Medicine, an expendable award over five years, which will be awarded to a student in any year of the MD program, based on academic achievement, financial need, and preference for students involved in their community.

  13. Dr. Kenneth Lee (Adjunct Faculty, Family Medicine) donated over $12,000 to the Schulich Excellence Fund.

  14. Dr. Shayne Plosker (MD ‘82) & Michelle Plosker donated $7,500 to establish the Dr. Shayne Plosker Northern Ontario Bursary, an expendable award which will be given annually to a first or second-year MD student, based on financial need, with a preference for students from northern Ontario.

  15. Dr. Graeme Fraser (MD ‘98) pledged $5,000 to the Dr. W. Bruce Barton Memorial & Hematology Alumni Award.