The eleventh annual Manuel Stamatakis Golf Classic held by Drexel University College of Medicine raised $340,000, bringing the total raised to $2.7 million since the event debuted in 2002.

140 golfers hit the links at the Philadelphia Cricket Club on July 16th. They teed off on one of the hottest days of the summer to support a scholarship fund in the name of Drexel University College of Medicine trustee, Manuel Stamatakis. The scholarships benefit medical students with proven academic ability and financial need.

“Being involved in furthering the education of medical students is very rewarding and exciting. We have a tremendous need for qualified and dedicated physicians in this country and throughout the world. The proceeds raised by this golf tournament for a scholarship fund are profoundly important so that we can continue to attract competent, committed and qualified candidates to become our future doctors,” Stamatakis said.

New to the event this year was the Manuel Stamatakis Matching Gift Challenge for Scholarships in Medicine. Qualifying donations were matched dollar-for-dollar, doubling the scholarship amount available to each student. Eleven new “Dream It. Do It.” scholarships were established in the following names: Atul K. Amin, MD; Carlene and Pasquale T. Deon Sr.; Richard A. Greenawalt; The Keeler Family; Keystone Outdoor Advertising; Michael Komarnicky; D. Howard Pierce; Marlene Goodhardt Rackson, M.D.; Stanley W. and Ellen J. Silverman; and two other anonymous donors.

Co-chairs for this year’s golf classic were Daniel V. Schidlow, MD, Annenberg Dean and senior vice president of medical affairs at Drexel University College of Medicine; Michael P. Halter, CEO of Hahnemann University Hospital; and William R. Sasso, Esq., chairman of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP.

This year’s scholarship recipients are:

Ekta Bajaj is a fourth-year student who has served as vice president of Drexel’s American Medical Women’s Association and president of the South Asian Medical Students Association.

Olga Beresneva is a third-year student, who has served on the board of the Student Government Association and as president of the Hematology/Oncology Interest Group.

Alina Burek is a third-year student who has served in the student-run clinic at the Eliza Shirley shelter for women and children.

Bridgette McCabe is beginning her second year of medical school and is the student coordinator of the Streetside Clinic, a mobile outreach clinic.

Peter Kim is a second-year student who serves in the Student Government Association and is co-president of Drexel’s Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association.

Marta Melnyk has a B.S. in biomedical engineering and is entering her fourth year of medical school, looking forward to training in ophthalmology.

Lorena Nunez is a fourth-year student whose dream is to become an anesthesiologist in a practice where she can use her bilingual skills.

Akash Patel is a four-time Scholar, who aspires to use his engineering and medical training to improve healthcare for underserved communities.

S. Estella Philippopoulos is a fourth-year student, who has already performed research at the NIH and Johns Hopkins, and presented her work at a scientific meeting.

Cecilia Sorensen, a fourth-year student, launched Bush Medicine Partnership, a nonprofit that has raised more than $20,000 to support a rural health initiative in Cameroon.

Joseph Titano is a fourth-year student whose research collaborations with surgical faculty and residents have enhanced his commitment to becoming a surgeon.