Thomas Shirley Jr., Jefferson’s assistant vice president of athletics and head coach of the women’s basketball team, received the Lifetime Impact Award. This award is presented to an individual who has made a significant impact at Jefferson, and more importantly, on the students which it serves.
The Student Leader of Innovation Scholarship went to architecture student Theresa Chiarenza ’20 for her contributions to meet current and emerging social needs through innovation. Chiarenza played a leadership role with a team of 13 students, who collected oral histories and developed a cohesive exhibition about Jefferson’s Hassrick House, designed by Richard Neutra, that was presented to the public at the recent opening of the Center for the Preservation of Modernism.
A variety of student work also was on display during the Celebration of Innovation. For example, a group of Jefferson students teamed up with Fresh Artists, a Philadelphia-based children’s art-focused philanthropic organization, to create a virtual reality experience; industrial design and occupational therapy students designed the Heart Helping Handbag, a post-heart surgery recovery device that respects a patient’s desire for privacy and the need to carry essentials; and visual communication design students developed Farm to Fridge, a brand system that partners with farmers to bring local, fresh produce to the residents of rural areas.
Celebration of Innovation sponsors included Philadelphia Suburban Development Corp., Federal-Mogul Systems Protection, Hemp Black and the Tuttleman Family Foundation.