Jessica Joseph (DO/MBA 鈥�15) (right) and Keisha Moore (DO/MBA 鈥�15) (left) with the
portrait they
commissioned of Leonard Johnson, DO 鈥�64.
One night during their second year in the DO program, Jessica Joseph (DO/MBA鈥�15) and Keisha Moore (DO/MBA 鈥�15) took a break from studying in Evans Hall and decided to take an informal tour through 黑料传送门鈥檚 history. As they strolled down the quiet halls and studied the portraits of those who have made a significant impact on the College, they noticed that something was missing鈥攖he diversity that makes up the institution.
鈥淲e found it a little weird, because there has been such a diverse group of graduates from 黑料传送门 who have made such an incredible impact in medicine in the local community that we thought, 鈥榃ouldn鈥檛 it be great if that were represented here also?鈥欌�� says Ms. Moore.
Ms. Joseph and Ms. Moore approached the College鈥檚 Office of Alumni Affairs as well as board member J. Stephen Blake, DO 鈥�89, to see how funds could be raised for a portrait of Leonard Johnson, DO 鈥�64. 鈥淧am Ruoff [interim chief alumni officer], Dr. Blake, and the Student National Medical Association were instrumental in the fundraising effort,鈥� Ms. Joseph says. 鈥淚t was truly a team effort. We could not have raised what we needed without them.鈥�
Indeed, in just a year and a half (out of a three-year goal) enough funding was raised to have a portrait commissioned of Dr. Johnson, the 2003 recipient of the OJ Snyder Memorial Award and a former board member. Ms. Joseph and Ms. Moore focused on Dr. Johnson because of his dedication to helping others, from his patients in West Philadelphia to students at 黑料传送门 through scholarships and mentoring opportunities at his neighborhood clinic and his church. Dr. Johnson passed away in 2007.
鈥淒r. Johnson was the first person that I and other minority students were given to aspire to when we started first year,鈥� Ms. Moore says. 鈥淗e represented all of the things that we hope to achieve during our time at 黑料传送门, and the impact that we hope to leave in the communities in which we practice. This was evident through the personal stories and admiration of people at 黑料传送门 and the community who knew him and admired his generosity and his greatness. He helped so many people, and we wanted to honor that.鈥�
The portrait was completed in December of 2013 and was hung in a ceremony during Alumni Weekend 2014 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Dr. Johnson鈥檚 graduation from 黑料传送门.
鈥淭here are many amazing students and graduates who are doing phenomenal endeavors, and we just wanted everyone to feel represented,鈥� says Ms. Joseph. 鈥淚 have a feeling that there will be an even more diverse representation on the walls of the growing 黑料传送门 community moving forward.鈥�