2015 Scholar Awards Luncheon
48 outstanding young scientists with scholar awards totaling $345,000 at its 24th annual ARCS Scholar Awards Luncheon Thursday November 19 at the Ritz-Carlton Atlanta. ARCS Foundation Atlanta provides scholar awards to outstanding students at Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Morehouse College, and University of Georgia. The Atlanta Chapter was happy that Lynne M. O. Brickner, President ARCS Foundation, Inc., was able to join the celebration of this year's scholars.
Keynote speaker for the event was Nael A. McCarty Ph.D. Marcus Professor of Cystic Fibrosis Division of Pulmonology Allergy/Immunology Cystic Fibrosis and Sleep Department of Pediatrics Emory University School of Medicine Director Emory+Children's Cystic Fibrosis Center of Excellence. Dr. McCarty moved the audience with pictures of children afflicted with CF and descriptions of its impact on the daily lives of the patients and their family members as they age and the disease progresses. Thanks to new drugs under development and other new therapiesthe life expectancy for people with CF is increasing. Bill Liss from WXIA-TV moderated the question and answer session following Dr. McCarty's presentation.
Due to the generosity of local corporations, foundations, individuals, and the Atlanta Chapter ARCS Foundation membership almost $4,200,000 has been presented to more than 400 scholars since the Atlanta Chapter's inception in 1992. Jane Dolinger, President of the Atlanta Chapter, was pleased to announce that for the first time Atlanta Chapter Scholar Alumni joined together to co-sponsor an ARCS Scholar Alumni Award for the 2015-2016 academic year. It is hoped that going forward additional members of this select group will step up to fund more awards for the students following in their footsteps.
Photos by James E. Fitts Atlanta GA
Thanks from Alum Collette Miller, Postdoctoral Fellow at US Environmental Protection Agency
"Thank you all for reaching out and the support over the years. It's been a rocky few years following the passing of my doctoral research mentor a few weeks prior to my dissertation defense. Trying to rebound from his loss, finishing my dissertation, and figuring out where to go from there was challenging to say the least ... Thank you again for your support. Honestly I did not know how much I would have ended up relying on the generous gift that the Atlanta Chapter of ARCS Foundation provided when it was first received. However, it was vital in helping me launch a new chapter in my career when I found my plans collapse when my mentor passed. Again, THANK YOU!"
Thanks from Alum Alejandro Toriella, PhD, Assistant Professor, Industrial Engineering, Georgia Tech
Thank you very much for your support. It meant a lot. I had the opportunity to return to Tech as a faculty member last year. I’m very happy to be back and hope I can advise a future ARCS scholar soon!
Thanks from Alum Courtney Pollard, III, MD, PhD, MedStar Harbor Hospital, Baltimore
Let me start by saying how thankful I am for being selected as an ARCS scholar. I consider it one of my greatest achievements thus far and I am immensely proud to count myself as one of the amazing group of students that your organization selected to receive this award. I want you ladies to know you are doing an outstanding job! You all are embarked on a truly altruistic endeavor and it is my fervent prayer that this organization thrives for years to come.