The Foundation of the Pennsylvania Medical Society owes a debt of gratitude to Jeanne A. Cooper, MD, who remembered The Foundation in her will. Her generosity will make a new educational scholarship award possible.
Dr. Cooper created an endowment fund within The Pittsburgh Foundation and named The Foundation of the Pennsylvania Medical Society as a beneficiary. Upon her passing, the Foundation will receive a percentage of the fund annually to go toward medical student scholarships.
For the last few years, Margie Lamberson, Director of Philanthropy, would call on Dr. Cooper, a faithful supporter of The Foundation since 1993. Lamberson said, “Dr. Cooper would tell me not to worry, she had made plans to support medical education through designation of her IRA to her community foundation. She was always very pleasant and I could tell she really cared about our mission of serving medical students.”
“I think all in medicine should do what they can to help the upcoming generation to achieve their goal. The cost is getting prohibitive and may prevent talented young folks from going into medicine.” Jeanne A. Cooper, MD
The Pittsburgh Foundation manages the fund and is charged with distribution on a yearly basis. Dr. Cooper’s generosity means this gift will perpetually fund our Foundation Education Scholarship Award. Dr. Cooper died November 15, 2015. The first gift from this fund was received this part March in the amount of $2,577.
Over the last five years, The Foundation has made a goal of establishing its own scholarship fund, and the Dr. Cooper gift provides the seed money to achieve this goal. In addition to the annual gift from Dr. Cooper, the Foundation’s Education Scholarship Award can also accept other philanthropic gifts from individuals who would like to support a scholarship fund. The hope is that those interested in making their charitable gifts to support scholarships for medical students will consider donating to this fund so that we can reach or exceed the minimum $50,000 fund balance and become permanently endowed.
Foundation Board of Trustees Chair Virginia Hall, MD, FACOG, FACP, recommends that contributions to The Foundation Education Award Fund reach a $50,000 principal before a scholarship committee is formed for The Foundation Education Award. The Foundation respects the work of the existing scholarship committees and has confidence that their award recipients reflect the academic excellence and personal integrity that is required of this educational scholarship award. An award winner will be chosen from our current scholarship recipients until the time comes that the fund can stand on its own.
The first-evet medical students named to The Foundation Board of Trustees, Nathan Hoff, says, “It is my vision that this new award grows to provide significant financial help with broad parameters to help as many students as possible.” Currently all of the scholarships are restricted to students who are Pennsylvania residents.
“It is vital that the physician pipeline in Pennsylvania remains strong and vibrant to meet the needs of the citizens of the Commonwealth. As additional philanthropic support grows The Foundation Education Scholarship Award, it is my goal to not only assist students who are Pennsylvania residents, but also students who commit to practicing in Pennsylvania.”
If you’re interested in making a lasting impact like Dr. Cooper, please contact Manager of Philanthropy and Hospital Relations Lori Storm at (717) 558-7861.