2023 Nomination Deadline
The Alumni Awards Committee has extended its Call for Nominations! To be considered for the 2023 JCLS Alumni Association Awards, nominations must be received by Friday, January 20, 2023.
Nomination Instructions
Click the button below to complete the nomination form with information on the nominee, a letter of nomination detailing their qualifications, and submit the nominee's résumé or CV.
Nominations and supporting materials may also be submitted to [email protected] or by mail to:
Office of Alumni Relations
Attn: JCLS Alumni Awards
Thomas Jefferson University
Pinizzotto-Ammon Alumni Center
1020 Locust Street, Suite 210
Philadelphia, PA 19107
JCLS Alumni Awards
Each year, the Jefferson College of Life Sciences (JCLS) Alumni Association recognizes exceptional alumni with its annual Alumni Awards. Read more about the awards and view lists of previous recipients below. Learn about the nomination process and frequently asked questions in the column on the left.
JCLS Distinguished Alumni Award
The Distinguished Alumni Award was established in 1983 to recognize the outstanding professional achievements of graduates of the Jefferson College of Life Sciences (JCLS) and to foster communication between current and former students. The award is presented each year during JCLS Alumni Day, during which the honoree is invited to present on their career achievements and meet current students and postdoctoral fellows, alumni, and faculty.
Nominations of qualified Jefferson or Philadelphia University graduates from the academic programs now housed within JCLS must include a curriculum vitae or résumé, along with a letter of nomination, explaining the nominee’s professional achievements and application of their Jefferson education and training in one or more of the following areas of consideration:
- significant scientific, academic, professional, entrepreneurial, industry, or other important contributions to progressing life science
- evidence of outstanding mentorship or leadership
- service to the community
- contributions to forwarding the stature of Thomas Jefferson University
Past Recipients
1983: Sydney Spector, PhD ’57
1984: Eileen Randall, PhD ’60
1985: Ronald Jensh, PhD ’66
1986: Gary McGarrity, PhD ’70
1987: Joseph Borzelleca, PhD ’56
1988: Richard Rothman, MD, PhD ’65
1989: Philip Rosenberg, PhD ’57
1990: Julian Ambrus, MD, PhD ’54
1991: Mark Brown, MD '65, PhD ’69
1992: Fredric Rieders, PhD ’52
1993: Melvin Johnson, PhD ’69
1994: Kent Weinhold, MS ’75, PhD ’79
1995: Mildred S. Christian, PhD ’79
1996: Prabhavathi B. Fernandes, PhD ’75
1997: Wade H. Berrettini, MD '77, PhD ’79
1998: George J. Trachte, PhD ’79
1999: Scott Waldman, MD, PhD ’80
2000: Mark E. Brezinski, MD '88, PhD ’88
2001: Elaine Z. Francis, PhD ’78
2002: Richard Thomson Jr., MS ’76, PhD ’80
2003: Georganne Buescher, EdD, MS ’74
2004: Eli Fromm, PhD ’67
2005: Michael Rieders, PhD ’85
2006: Brian O’Rourke, PhD ’90
2007: Susan Dillon, PhD ’85
2008: Thomas B. Knudsen, PhD ’81
2009: Vincent T. Armenti, MD ’82, PhD ’79
2010: Nicholas Nicolaides, PhD ’92
2011: Leonard M. Rosenfeld, PhD ’64
2012: Richard A. Brigandi, MD ’97, PhD ’97
2013: Yun Yen MD, PhD ’88
2014: E. John Wherry, PhD ’00
2015: Michael R. Blackburn, PhD '94
2016: Michael Hsieh, MD '01
2017: Mindy George-Weinstein, BSN '78, PhD '84
2018: Laura Trinkle-Mulcahy, PhD '95
2019: Karen Schindler, PhD '06
2020: De'Broski R. Herbert, PhD '01 [LECTURE]
2021: Daniel J. Powell, Jr., PhD '02 [LECTURE]
2022: Nafeesa Hunt Owens, PhD '05
JCLS Early Career Alumni Award
The Early Career Alumni Award was established in 2020 to recognize the outstanding professional achievements of Jefferson College of Life Sciences (JCLS) alumni within 10 years of their graduation. The award is presented each year during JCLS Alumni Day and recipients are selected for their early career achievements and demonstrated potential to be future leaders in their field.
Nominations of qualified Jefferson or Philadelphia University graduates from the academic programs now housed within JCLS must include a curriculum vitae or résumé, along with a letter of nomination, explaining the nominee’s professional achievements and application of their Jefferson education and training in one or more of the following areas of consideration:
- scientific, academic, professional, entrepreneurial, industry, or other contributions to progressing life science
- service to the community
- demonstrated leadership potential within their chosen field
- contributions to forwarding the stature of Thomas Jefferson University
Nominate a Candidate
All members of the Jefferson community are invited to participate in the Jefferson College of Life Sciences (JCLS) Alumni Awards process by nominating exceptional alumni for consideration by the Alumni Awards Committee for the below awards. [Current JCLS Programs]
Instructions for submitting a nomination and associated deadlines are found in the column on the left.