The 27th Annual Scholar Awards Luncheon (SAL) was a great success.  It was held on November 15, 2018, at The Ritz-Carlton.  We awarded 54 scholars, from Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Morehouse College and University of Georgia, a total of $416,500 in awards. These scholars are selected by their college/universities and their studies are focused on the STEM fields. 

Photos were taken of the scholars in group format as well as individually during the Medallion Ceremony in the Plaza Ballroom.  We also included a videographer this year to interview the scholars about their studies and the importance of their awards.

Susan McGonigle, President of ARCS Foundation Atlanta Chapter, welcomed everyone and thanked Northside Hospital for again being the presenting sponsor.

After a thoughtful invocation by Rev. Leslie Lyons Watkins, the lunch began.  The dining room looked lovely and Beaty Maffett’s centerpieces were stunning. The 2018 funds development brochures honored Northside Hospital and were placed at the tables along with the booklets.

Our speakers, Jonathan Mermin, MD, MPH, and Rebecca Bunnell, PhD, MPH, both from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), spoke on Science and Purpose in Public Health, appealing directly to the scholars as they spoke. Dr. Mermin is the National Director of the Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention at the CDC and is a Rear Admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service.  Dr. Bunnell, his wife, is Deputy Director for Science, Policy and Communications in the CDC’s Division of Global Health Protection. She has nearly 30 years of public health experience, including 17 years stationed internationally for the CDC.  She was with the Peace Corps and Doctors Without Borders, USAID and Action Aid.  Bill Liss, Financial Consumer and Legal Editor, WXIA-TV, introduced the speakers and later asked several questions.  The speakers praised the scholars on their research and advised them to be bold with their pursuits.

Many thanks to Caroline Hardin, SAL chairman, and Erin Dasher, SAL chairman-elect, and their committee for the successful 2018 Scholar Awards Luncheon.