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Gives Back award inspires community service, learning  by Cindy Abole Public Relations For nine years, MUSC students have taken pride in their volunteer efforts and impact within the Lowcountry community. Each year, the MUSC Gives Back program recognizes student groups and organizations from each of the six colleges and one universitywide student organization who have performed service acts or made exceptional contributions in the tri-county community. Remarkably, most of this is conducted in addition to students' busy academic schedules. Since 1993, MUSC Gives Back volunteers have pitched in with more than 79,000 total hours of community service within the Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester areas. In this year alone, volunteers have logged more than 10,198 hours. Eligible college-related groups and universitywide organizations must have performed their volunteer activity and service during the 2001-2002 academic year. “Each year, I look forward to reading the award applications from students and groups,” said Liz Sheridan, MUSC Gives Back Coordinator. “I’m anxious to see what students and organizations have been doing throughout the year. It amazes me to see how diverse these outreach activities really are. It can be as significant as a one-on-one relationship with a nursing home senior to a broad reach of a group’s activity discussing the facts and consequences of sexually transmitted diseases with Lowcountry youth.” A total of 18 applications was submitted by student groups and organizations.  The winners were chosen by a selection committee comprised of student representatives from the Student Government Association. Applicants were judged soley on merit of their community involvement and accomplishments. Other categories for judging include need, action, outcome and time. The highest score is based on these criteria to determine the field of winners. Judges for this year’s awards program are: Rebecca Gregg, College of Pharmacy; Greg Johnson, College of Medicine; Heather Heaton, College of Dental Medicine; Lena Heuing, College of Graduate Studies, College of Health Professions and Cameron Willard, College of Nursing.  In addition to the group recognition were individual awards for top volunteers from each of the six colleges. They are: Isabel Ghowanlu, 418.5 hours, dental medicine; Dawn Taylor, 776 hours, graduate studies; Brian Griffin, 187.5, health professions; Katherine Twombley, 1,192, medicine; Mandy Brown, 170 hours, nursing; and Stephen Brown, 720 hours, pharmacy. Winners of this year’s MUSC Gives Back Community Volunteer Award for Student Organizations are: College of Graduate Studies/Graduate Student Association The group hosts the Children’s Hospital Diabetic Halloween Carnival for diabetic children creating and operating games. They also host a fund-raiser to benefit the John Acrum SPCA. During March, the group teamed with the Alterra Clare Bridge Memory Center and hosted a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. The center’s residents suffer from neurological disorders like Alzheimers disease.  College of Health Professions/Physical Therapy Class 2003 CHP students have been continually active in promoting and educating others about their profession. Their commitment to the medically underserved is shared both locally and globally. Their planning and involvement include seminars, career fairs and patient education has been continual. Students participated with Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics, Kids Night Out at the Cathedral of Praise Church, North Charleston, the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Helping Other People Endure (HOPE 5K Run/Walk). Members also volunteered for a medical mission trip to Venezuela. Their efforts this year resulted in 1,154.5 hours of volunteer service. College of Medicine/Student National Medical Association This group’s involvement with the Youth Science Enrichment Program, one of it’s earliest intervention programs, helps to expose youth to medicine and technology through projects and activities. SNMA members also advise high school and undergraduate students in science activities and careers in medicine through the Health Professions Recruitment and Exposure Program and the Minority Association of Pre-Health Students (MAPS). This year, students logged approximately 851 volunteer hours. College of Nursing/Student Nurses’ Association Each semester, SNA members donate food and prepare a meal for families living at the Ronald McDonald House. Aluminum can tab recycling is a continued effort with profits donated to the House.  The group also volunteers in the Memory Walk (September) and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure (October). Last Christmas, the SNA adopted four Lowcountry families to provide Christmas presents. The group continually finds ways to volunteer in the community and promote the field of nursing. College of Pharmacy/Academy for Student Pharmacy Encouraging parents on the proper installation of a child’s car seat through Trident Area Safe Kids, registering walkers with the American Heart Walk and assisting in the construction and painting of a Habitat for Humanity house are just some of the volunteer efforts of this group. They also helped promote the Lowcountry’s Operation Immunization program by distributing flyers and educating people about the importance of adult immunizations. The group contributed a total of 98 volunteer hours. Universitywide Award/Crisis Ministries Clinic Since 1988, a multidisciplinary group of physicians, residents, medicine and pharmacy students have collaborated to provide medical services free-of-charge to Charleston’s homeless as part of the Crisis Ministries Wednesday Night Clinic. The Wednesday night clinic is an important service to individuals who work during the day and are unable to seek medical care in a day clinic. It was also established as a means for medical students to continue their clinical education through experience while gaining awareness and acceptance of  homeless individuals and their need for health care.  The program features a new interactive education program for students as they learn how to educate patients and parents about specific diseases related to them and their children. Students also participated as clinic coordinators to help plan long-range goals and offer ideas to improve services. The group ended the year with 228 total volunteer hours.