Awards Event Information (2024)

Posted on: September 19, 2024; Updated on: September 18, 2024
By Emily Miles, Emily.Miles@uscmed.sc.edu

Seventeen individuals will be recognized for their contributions to the health care field and their service to the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia at the 2024 Alumni and Dean’s Distinguished Service Awards Ceremony and Reception, which will be held on Thursday, Oct. 17, from 6-8 p.m., at the School of Medicine Columbia’s VA campus in the Building 3 courtyard. Other award categories include the William C. Gillespie Staff Recognition Award and the Award for Advancement of Women in Science and Medicine.

Event Tickets

Tickets to the event are $50 per person. Alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends of the School of Medicine Columbia are asked to please purchase tickets by Thursday, Oct. 10. For our faculty and staff, this year we also have the option for you to sponsor a student’s ticket via our purchase link.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

Alumni Awards

The Alumni Awards are presented annually by the School of Medicine Columbia Alumni Association to recognize our most dedicated alumni and friends who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in their respective fields while also strengthening the alumni community and school. Awardees are chosen by a selection committee comprised of alumni, faculty and staff.

There are seven award recipients in 2024:

Awards Event Information (1)

Major Donald R. Fredericks Jr. (DJ), MD, was raised in Anderson, S.C., and graduated from Presbyterian College with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. MAJ Fredericks completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center where he received the Erskine Award for most outstanding graduating resident in the National Capital Region. He went on to complete a fellowship in spine surgery at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, before returning to serve as an orthopaedic spine surgeon at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) in Bethesda in 2022.

MAJ Fredericks assumed his current roles as WRNMMC Chief of Orthopaedic Spine and Pediatric Surgery in 2023 and as Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in 2022.

MAJ Fredericks has deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, serving as Lead Theatre Orthopaedic Surgeon at Baghdad Diplomatic Support Hospital for Joint Task Force Savior 2023. He is board certified in orthopaedic surgery, has authored over 30 peer reviewed articles and book chapters, and is the Co-Director of the Orthopaedic Biomechanics Research Laboratory at WRNMMC.

Awards and decorations include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medals, and Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. He lives in Washington D.C., with his dear wife Alexandra Fredericks and their two dogs Woody and Cricket.

Awards Event Information (2)

Sheena Campbell Morris, DNAP, MNA, CRNA, is a proud native of Columbia, S.C., and has spent the last 15 years dedicated to advancing the profession of nurse anesthesia. After earning her BSN from the University of South Carolina’s College of Nursing, she pursued her Master’s in Nurse Anesthesia at the same institution and later obtained her Doctorate of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) from the Medical University of South Carolina. In 2021, Morris was thrilled to join the Graduate Nurse Anesthesia Program at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia as a full-time faculty member.

Morris' career in anesthesia has spanned a wide variety of clinical settings, from gastroenterology and fertility centers, to plastic surgery practices and Prisma Health, where she had the privilege of serving as a staff educator for the anesthesia department. These experiences have shaped her teaching approach, allowing her to mentor and collaborate with both CRNAs and students, while always striving to provide the highest standard of patient care and advocate for the profession.

Being part of the University of South Carolina School of Medicine’s Alumni Association Board has allowed Morris to stay connected to the institution that played such an integral role in her development. Outside of work, she is blessed with a loving family—her husband and two wonderful daughters, Campbell and Josie—who inspire and support her daily.

Morris notes the Distinguished Alumni Award recognition affirms her commitment to the field of anesthesia and her passion for educating the next generation of healthcare leaders. Morris remains dedicated to advancing healthcare by continually improving patient care standards and nurturing the growth of future nurse anesthetists.

Awards Event Information (3)

Robin Fletcher, a native of Easley, S.C., graduated from Clemson University in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science in Textile Chemistry, and from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in 1991 with a Master of Science in Genetic Counseling. After working as a genetic counselor in Atlanta, she served as a public health genetic counselor for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services for 13 years. In this role, she provided prenatal, preconception, and cancer genetic counseling services to the residents of Western North Carolina, coordinated satellite clinics in conjunction with Fullerton Genetics Center in Asheville, and presented educational sessions to a variety of audiences. While attempting to adopt a child as a single parent, she changed careers and became a high school biology teacher, working over seven years in the Greenville and Pickens County School Districts.

In 2014, Fletcher joined the Greenwood Genetic Center as a laboratory genetic counselor where she serves as a liaison between healthcare providers and the diagnostic lab. Her current areas of focus are next-generation sequencing and EpiSign genome-wide methylation analysis.

Fletcher is a certified genetic counselor (CGC) through the American Board of Genetic Counseling, and is a member of the National Society of Genetic Counselors as well as the South Carolina Genetic Counseling Society. She has coauthored several publications related to EpiSign. Based on her personal diagnosis of mitochondrial disease and over 25 years of clinical and laboratory experience, she is passionate about helping patients and families resolve their diagnostic odyssey.

She spent many years teaching children’s Sunday School, working with children’s and youth choirs, and participating in a variety of church programs. Her interests include music, movies, and reading, as well as discovering new china patterns and decorating her house.

Awards Event Information (4)

Krishna Yekkala, BVSc, PhD, DACVP, DABT, is an accomplished scientist and board-certified pathologist, with an unwavering commitment to advancing biomedical and pharmaceutical drug development research. He currently serves as the Scientific Director of Pathology at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine.

Dr. Yekkala earned his PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia in 2007, where his research, under the mentorship of Drs. Troy Baudino and Thomas K. Borg, focused on the role of the proto-oncogene c-myc in development and disease. Since completing his doctorate, he has built an impressive career at renowned national institutes and within the pharmaceutical industry, honing his expertise in pathology, toxicology, and biomedical research.

A dual-boarded veterinary pathologist and toxicologist, Dr. Yekkala has made significant contributions to the fields of toxicologic pathology and preclinical safety assessment, directly influencing patient health through his work. He is especially recognized for his leadership in preclinical and comparative ophthalmic pathology, as well as his efforts in the preclinical modeling of ocular diseases. His contributions have been instrumental in guiding the development of therapeutic molecules at JNJ aimed at addressing unmet medical needs, particularly in ocular disease treatment.

Dr. Yekkala is an active member of several prestigious professional organizations, including the American College of Veterinary Pathology, the Society of Toxicologic Pathology, the American College of Toxicology, the American Board of Toxicology, and the Society of Toxicology. His expertise and leadership in the field are reflected in his role in shaping best practices and industry guidelines. Throughout his career, he has received numerous accolades for his contributions to both academia and industry. Dr. Yekkala, authored or co-authored numerous scientific articles, and abstracts and presented at numerous professional meetings.

Driven by a passion for scientific excellence, Dr. Yekkala continues to inspire innovation in biomedical sciences, with a focus on improving patient outcomes and addressing critical unmet medical needs.

Awards Event Information (5)

Bill Phillips, MD, currently serves as the Chief Medical Officer for MUSC Midlands Division for Columbia Medical Center, Downtown and Northeast Hospitals. Prior to becoming CMO, he served as the President of MUSC Health Heart and Vascular Midlands Division. Before the acquisition by MUSC, he served as the President of Providence Heart and Vascular Institute in Columbia. In March of 2023, MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown was named as a top national cardiovascular hospital by Fortune and Premier's PINC AI with a ranking of #10 nationally. Dr. Phillips has also served on the National Cardiovascular Physician Guidance Council for LifePoint Health in Brentwood, Tenn. Prior to joining Providence Hospital, he practiced at Columbia Heart Clinic for 14 years and served as the president the last four years of his tenure. He also served as the Chief of Cardiology at Palmetto Health Richland.

Dr. Phillips is a native of Hampton, S.C., and earned his BS in Biology with honors at The Citadel in Charleston. He attended The Citadel on a football scholarship and was inducted into the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame as a Scholar-Athlete his senior year. He received his medical degree from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia, graduating magna cum laude. He received the Sir William Osler Award in Internal Medicine and the Distinguished Dean’s Award. He then completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Virginia. Dr. Phillips completed fellowships in both cardiology and interventional cardiology and served as chief cardiology fellow. Dr. Phillips is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and a Fellow of the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention. He also previously served as a member of the USC School of Medicine Columbia Alumni Board and as the physician at large for the South Carolina State Athletic Commission appointed by the governor. He recently was named to the Columbia Metropolitan Premier Physicians for Interventional Cardiology. Dr. Phillips has published research in the field of vascular biology and participated in numerous clinical research trials during his career.

Awards Event Information (6)

Rohit Talwani, MD, a graduate of Cornell University and the USC School of Medicine Columbia, was a revered physician and humanitarian whose remarkable career spanned clinical practice, research and global service. Following his residency in internal medicine at Richland Memorial Hospital, he pursued a fellowship in infectious diseases at Rush Medical Center in Chicago, and eventually joined the University of Maryland's Institute of Human Virology. Dr. Talwani’s passion for the study of hepatitis shaped much of his career, and he was renowned for his hepatitis C and vaccine research.

As a Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Section of Infectious Diseases at the VA Maryland Healthcare System, Dr. Talwani trained and mentored countless fellows, leaving a lasting legacy in the field of infectious diseases. In addition to his academic career, he held prominent roles in industry at Gilead Sciences and Merck Research Laboratories.

In the early 2000s, Dr. Talwani was enlisted to support the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), where he made multiple trips to Africa to train hundreds of African physicians in HIV care. His commitment to global health was also evident in his response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, where he volunteered with a team of healthcare providers and the Maryland National Guard. Dr. Talwani spent a month in Haiti, where the team built a field hospital to treat injuries and infections as a result of the earthquake and destruction of healthcare infrastructure. Despite facing immense challenges—living in a tent within a partially collapsed elementary school, relying on a garden hose to wash, and subsisting on protein bars and 5-Hour energy drinks—Dr. Talwani regarded the experience as the most profoundly rewarding of his career.

On March 2, 2024, Dr. Talwani passed away after a courageous year-long battle with metastatic cancer. His final days were marked by the same grace, strength and dedication that defined his life, continuing to work in clinic until just weeks before his passing. Dr. Talwani will be remembered not only for his brilliance and wit, but for his unwavering dedication to improving the lives of others through his humanitarian efforts and outstanding contributions to medicine.

Awards Event Information (7)

Forty-three years ago in Fort Payne, Ala., Robert Hubbird, MD, started a solo private practice in pediatrics. Five years later, he joined Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Amarillo and began his practice in the nascent field of pediatric critical care medicine. From the beginning, he was deeply involved in the education of pediatric residents and medical students at Texas Tech, where he served as residency director and received several teaching awards.

In August of 1991, Dr. Hubbird made the move to Columbia, S.C.. With his partner, Greta Harper, MD, he established full-time pediatric intensivist coverage at Richland Memorial Hospital. They developed a team of specially trained Pediatric Critical Care Transport personnel and built one of the busiest intensivist-manned pediatric sedation units in the Southeast. This work led to significant improvement in the care of seriously ill children in South Carolina.

Dr. Hubbird has trained 39 years’ worth of residents and medical students. Through direct patient care, his delivery of the Pediatric Advanced Life Support Course, and years of formal and bedside lectures, he has educated countless physicians, residents, respiratory therapists, and nurses. He produced a multi-subject set of educational reference cards which have been widely utilized by physicians, nurses, and other medical professionals. He has received decades of awards for his teaching excellence from medical students and pediatric and emergency medicine residents alike.

Today, he serves as the Assistant Medical Director of Prisma Health Children’s Hospital - Midlands and as Medical Director of Pediatric Critical Care Services. He has guided the expansion of the PICU from six beds to 16 and from two intensivists to now eight. He remains focused on improving the health of critically ill children.

Dean's Distinguished Service Awards

The Dean’s Distinguished Service Awards are annual honors established by the Office of the Dean to recognize individuals who demonstrate excellence in service, leadership, advocacy, and professional accomplishment. Awardees are chosen by a selection committee overseen by the Dean’s leadership team.

There are eight award recipients in 2024:

Awards Event Information (8)

Meera Narasimhan, MD, is Professor and Chair in the Department of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia and Prisma Health. Dr. Narasimhan has championed mental health legislations and technology driven initiatives in our state and beyond. She has an excellent track record of fostering public-private-academic partnerships in South Carolina and beyond.

As a physician, researcher and educator, she is known for her abilities to think outside the box of traditional approaches to address basic public health needs, capture cost and quality data, while training the next generation of health care leaders. She has garnered research grants from NIH, PCORI, AHRQ, industry for clinical, translational and technology driven initiatives. She has been involved with rural health initiatives both in the state and globally to address health disparities using technology innovations. She is widely published and serves on the SC Telehealth Alliance, Palmetto Care Connection Board, SC Suicide Prevention Coalition and served on the American Psychiatric Association Telehealth Steering Committee, Association of American Medical Colleges, Council on Faculties and Societies.

Dr. Narasimhan has been honored by the American Psychiatric Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Mental Health America, Yale University, American Foundation of Suicide Prevention, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, the Indo American Psychiatric Association, South Carolina Department of Mental Health, the School of Medicine Columia and Prisma Health, and Indian Diaspora awards “Hind Rattan,” and Pravasi Rattan, from the NRI Welfare Society and South Asian Business Network for outstanding global contributions. Programs she championed received the “Psychiatric Services Achievement Award” from the American Psychiatric Association and Harvard Ash Center Bright Ideas Award. Other laurels include SC Community Innovator Award for Telehealth and Statewide Telehealth Champion Award, with her department receiving the Martin Luther King Jr. Award for Diversity leadership in Action. She is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the America Psychiatric Association.

Dr. Narasimhan completed her residency in psychiatry and a neuroscience fellowship at Yale University, and her medical schooling at Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, India. She has served in various leadership roles at the University of South Carolina including the Associate Provost for Health Sciences and Special Advisor to the President for Health Innovations.

Awards Event Information (9)

Ruth A. Riley, MS, was appointed Director of Library Services at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in 2000, and subsequently appointed as Assistant Dean for Executive Affairs in 2012. She retired from the School of Medicine in June 2024 and is Librarian Emeritus.

At USC, she led the renovation of the School of Medicine Library, cultivated the establishment of the library’s first and only endowment, and spearheaded the creation of the Charles S. Bryan History of Medicine Room and the Library Circle of Friends development group. She oversaw significant expansion of the library’s electronic information resources, including digitization of historical books and pamphlets and School of Medicine historical materials. Riley expanded the library’s outreach programs to include the creation of the Center for Disability Resources Library and the provision of information services for free clinics in South Carolina. Partnering with Dr. Richard Hoppmann, she facilitated the founding of the Society of Ultrasound in Medical Education and provided support for the World Congress on Ultrasound in Medical Education held in multiple cities in the U.S. and Canada.

Riley was previously at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Library where she served for five years as associate director. She was also Coordinator of Information Management and Database Services at the Alfred Taubman Medical Library at the University of Michigan, and Information Services Librarian at the J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library at the University of Missouri. Riley completed her B.A. in Sociology at the University of Kansas and an M.S. in Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois. She has served as President of the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries, Chair of the Southern Chapter of the Medical Library Association, President of the Consortium of Biomedical Libraries in the South and Chair of the Partnership Among South Carolina Academic Libraries. Riley’s accomplishments in medical librarianship have been recognized with her receipt of the Gerald J. Oppenheimer Cornerstone Award from the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries and the Academic Librarian of the Year Award from the Southern Chapter of the Medical Library Association.

Awards Event Information (10)

Elise Becker is an MD candidate in the Class of 2025 at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences and Spanish from USC.

She has valued health and wellness, which ultimately drew her to focus her community service activities in her role as president for Healthy Strides. As president, she has worked with multiple local fitness organizations to coordinate monthly workouts for the medical school. She also led the annual Healthy Strides 5K in 2023, with her team and other volunteers to raise over $5,000 for the School of Medicine Columbia's FoodShareSC. This included meeting with local Shandon Neighborhood leaders to get approval for the race, gaining donations and fundraising from local businesses, as well as planning and promoting the event.

She has valued service during her time as an executive member of a student led group called Medical Students Making Change for the past three years. The group is dedicated to providing individualized support to uninsured diabetic patients at a local free medical clinic. Becker currently serves as the volunteer director, coordinating and helping to pair medical student volunteers and patients. This project has been very important to her since the beginning of medical school, enabling Becker to advocate for patients who face a multitude of barriers that impede access to quality care.

Becker also serves as the Plastic Surgery Interest Group president, where she helped to organize a fundraising drive dedicated to donating new boxers to the Augusta Burn Center. The initiative brought over 300 pairs of new boxers to the Center.

Awards Event Information (11)

Brian Keisler, MD, joined the faculty of the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia in 2005 after completing a primary care sports medicine fellowship with Palmetto Health Richland in Columbia. He completed a residency with Cabarrus Family Medicine Residency at Northeast Medical Center in Concord, N.C., serving as chief resident during his final year.

Dr. Keisler has a special interest in education and has won several teaching awards. In addition to his responsibilities in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Dr. Keisler began working in the School of Medicine Columbia Office of Undergraduate Medical Education in 2019 as the assistant dean for clinical curriculum and assessment.

Dr. Keisler has served on various committees for both the University of South Carolina School of Medicine and Prisma Health Richland.

A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Dr. Keisler earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology. He continued his medical education in Columbia, receiving a Doctor of Medicine from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine.

Dr. Keisler is board certified in family medicine and has a certificate of added qualification in primary care sports medicine. His special interests include medical student education, hypertension, diabetes and sports medicine.

Awards Event Information (12)

Annabelle Lunt is a fourth-year medical student currently applying for emergency medicine residency. She obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree in Bioengineering from Clemson University in 2020, followed by a Master of Science in Medical Sciences from the Medical University of South Carolina in 2021. Lunt currently serves as the president of both Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and Medical Students Making Change – an organization aiming to improve diabetic management for uninsured and underserved patients throughout South Carolina. She aspires to continue expanding and improving access to medical care for vulnerable patient populations during her future career in emergency medicine.

Awards Event Information (13)

Bruce Wyche Bannister is a partner of Bannister, Wyatt, & Stalvey, LLC, and a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.

Bannister graduated from Davidson College in 1995 and went on to earn his law degree from the University of South Carolina in 1998. Admitted to the practice of law in South Carolina in 1998, Bannister was elected to the S.C. House in 2005 to finish the unexpired term of departing House Speaker David Wilkins from District 24. He currently serves as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. He was elected by his peers to serve as the Majority leader for the S.C. House Republican Caucus from 2012-2016. He also serves as the Chairman of the South Carolina Bar Lawyer Legislator Task Force.

Bannister is a lifelong resident of Greenville, where he serves as a member of the Wig and Robe, Greenville County Young Lawyers, South Carolina Bar, and the Better Business Bureau. He is a LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated lawyer and has previously taught as an adjunct professor at Greenville Technical College. He also holds previous experience as a law clerk to the Honorable Larry R. Patterson, Circuit Court Judge.

As an active member within the community, Bannister is a graduate of Leadership Greenville Class XXVI and a member of Liberty Fellowship’s Class of 2014. He previously served as a board member for the Children’s Museum of the Upstate and the Andrews Society of Greenville. He is a past Board Member for the Greenville Peace Center and a Child’s Haven.

Awards Event Information (14)

Senator Ronnie Cromer serves South Carolina as State Senator for Senate District 18. He was first elected to the seat in a special election on April 15, 2003, and has risen through the ranks of the Senate Republican Caucus. He currently serves as chairman of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee. In addition, he serves on four other Senate committees: Fish Game and Forestry (former chairman), Finance (subcommittee chairman), Joint Bond Review, and Rules (former chairman).

A life-long resident of Newberry County, Senator Cromer has given more than 30 years of his life to public service in the professional and political service arenas. Senator Cromer is fully engaged in the Newberry Community as a business owner (Lorex Drugs), a member of many civic organizations, past president of the Prosperity Civitan Club and the Newberry Pilots' Association, and is also a member of several conservation organizations including: Ducks Unlimited, Quail Unlimited, the National Wild Turkey Federation and the Prosperity Wildlife Association. He also serves as a commissioner on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

A 30 year member of the South Carolina Army Reserve National Guard, Cromer served in the first Persian Gulf War and in Operation Desert Shield/Storm, receiving several distinguished service honors and retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. Cromer is proud to be counted among the men and women who volunteer to defend our country and protect the freedoms and liberties that have been gained through the sacrifice of so many.

Senator Cromer lives in Prosperity with his wife of 50-plus years, Linda (Epting) Cromer. The two were married on August 30, 1969, and have two daughters: Candace and Heather. Cromer is also blessed to be the grandfather of four wonderful grandchildren; Zachary, Zoe, Ella Kate and Everly.

Awards Event Information (15)

Norma Frizzell Catledge, PhD, received her doctorate degree at the Queens University of Belfast, Northern Ireland, prior to completing postdoctoral studies in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of South Carolina, and at the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland. She joined the faculty at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia as an assistant professor in 2011 and is currently a tenured associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience.

Her research expertise is in the study of mitochondrial metabolism, providing new insight on how dysregulation in energy metabolism contributes to aberrant protein modification, with a focus on 2-succinocysteine (2SC). She has studied mitochondrial stress in the context of diabetes and mitochondrial encephalopathies, contributing to a new understanding of the biochemical mechanisms underlying complex metabolic diseases. She has also applied this knowledge to the study of cancers with mutations in mitochondrial enzymes, with the detection of the 2SC modification now widely employed in clinically pathology labs to confirm the presence of hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell carcinoma. Her research laboratory has been continuously funded by the NIH, as well as receiving industry sponsorship from Biogen. She has led several major equipment funding initiatives to ensure that USC maintains state-of-the-art research infrastructure. She is a past recipient of the American Diabetes Junior Faculty Award and has received a USC Breakthrough Rising Star Award. She has mentored graduate and undergraduate students, receiving the USC Distinguished Undergraduate Research Mentor Award in recognition of her mentoring efforts.

Dr. Frizzell contributes to teaching across several School of Medicine graduate courses, including blocks in biochemistry, physiology and neuroscience courses. She has served as course director for a graduate grant writing course, encouraging students to seek NIH-funded F31 fellowships. She regularly serves as an NIH grant reviewer, as well as a reviewer for other external agencies and for USC internal programs. In 2020, she received the USC Distinguished Research Service Award for her efforts. She has served on several SOM committees, including as an advisor to the SOM Honor Committee and she is current vice Chair of the USC IACUC.

William C. Gillespie Staff Recognition Award

Named after William C. Gillespie, a former employee in the Office of Administration and Finance, the award recognizes an outstanding staff member at the School of Medicine Columbia whose work performance stands out as an example for all to emulate. Awardees are chosen by a selection committee of peer staff members from clinical, research and administrative areas.

There is one recipient in 2024:

Awards Event Information (16)

Bruce Harsey began his career at the USC School of Medicine Columbia in 2018 as a trades specialist and was promoted to assistant director of facilities management and support services in August 2024.

Harsey’s hard work and dedication to the students, staff, and faculty at the School of Medicine does not go unnoticed. He goes above and beyond the call of duty, doing all that he can to assist those who need help. He is often observed going the extra mile to make sure the school is well maintained, clean, safe and appealing to all learners, users and visitors. He has also served as the lead on many successful projects, such as Match Day, renovations to the library and main entry buildings, and updates to the graduate student lounge.

Recently, Harsey was selected as a dean appointee to the School of Medicine’s Culture and Climate Committee. He is an outstanding asset to the team, which is why he has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 William C. Gillespie Staff Recognition Award.

Harsey has called South Carolina home for his whole life and has fond memories of attending USC games with his late grandfather. Whenever he is not saving the world at USC School of Medicine, he is at home pouring into the backbone of his world, his family. He and his wife Crystal share three beautiful children, and he credits all his success to God.

Award for Advancement of Women in Science and Medicine

The Award for Advancement of Women in Science and Medicine was established in 2021 by the School of Medicine Columbia Women in Science and Medicine (WiS&M) Committee, in consultation with then-Dean Les Hall, to recognize outstanding individual and organizational contributions to advancing women leaders in the health sciences. Awardees are chosen by the WiS&M Committee.

There is one recipient in 2024

Awards Event Information (17)

Judith T. Burgis, MD, is the Edward J. Dennis III, MD Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology Emerita, University of South Carolina School of Medicine. She stepped down from full time status at the end of 2019 but continues to work part-time with Prisma Health Ob/Gyn-Midlands teaching Ob/Gyn, pediatric, and family medicine residents.

Dr. Burgis received a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Health Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston, South Carolina. She attended medical school at the USC School of Medicine Columbia and she completed an Ob/Gyn residency at Richland Memorial Hospital. Dr. Burgis joined the full-time faculty with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine in 2004. She served as chair of the department from 2010 through 2019.

Dr. Burgis is past South Carolina Section Chair with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), past President of the South Atlantic Association of Ob/Gyn, and she served many years on the Board of the South Carolina Perinatal Association. She helped establish the South Carolina Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee under SC DHEC and served as the committee’s first chairperson.

Dr. Burgis’ special interests in Ob/Gyn are pediatric and adolescent gynecology, maternal mortality and morbidity, and gynecologic ultrasound.

In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Dr. Burgis serves on the Board of the Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network, a group which seeks to uplift and support women in all their many roles.

Awards Event Information (2024)
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