Institute Director Lynn Yeakel and Woman One Honoree Reneé Amoore

On Monday, April 25, the Institute for Women's Health and Leadership held its 14th Annual Woman One Award Ceremony at the Rittenhouse Hotel in Philadelphia.

The ceremony honors a woman of exceptional leadership while also raising scholarship funds for talented, underrepresented women in medicine who, after graduating from Drexel University College of Medicine, intend to serve disadvantaged communities.

This year's award winner was Reneé Amoore, innovative entrepreneur, health care advocate and CEO of The Amoore Group. Amoore is a Drexel University trustee and a member of the University's Executive Board. She is actively involved in many professional and community organizations including the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Women Against MS, and the Take the Lead Committee for Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania. Amoore is also the chair of the Joint Board at Saints Memorial Baptist Church and serves as deputy chairman of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania.

The evening's program included speeches from Walter Cohen, DDS, chancellor emeritus of Drexel University College of Medicine; Lynn Yeakel, director of the Institute for Women's Health and Leadership; Drexel University President John Fry; Madame Justice Sandra Schultz Newman, former Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court; Reverend Marsha Brown Woodard, associate pastor of Saints Memorial Baptist Church in Bryn Mawr; and the night's honoree, Reneé Amoore.

Also in attendance were many current and former Woman One scholars. This year's program raised more than $250,000 in scholarship funds, bringing the total funds raised to more than $3 million since its founding 14 years ago. Since its inception, the program has supported scholarships for 29 current and former scholars at Drexel University College of Medicine. The 30th Woman One Scholar will enter the College of Medicine this year.

Woman One Scholars Dareen Elgindi, Ingrid Schmiederer, Susan Ramirez-Chung, Jaclyn Heilman and Ivonne Martinez

Many Woman One scholars come from disadvantaged backgrounds and have had to overcome challenges to pursue careers in medicine. Three current Women One scholars are preparing to take the next step in their career to residency following commencement this May.

Angela Bryant will soon begin her pediatrics residency at IU Health University Hospital in Indianapolis. Susan Ramirez-Chung is also going into pediatrics and will begin her residency in a few months at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children and Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. Ingrid Schmiederer will begin her residency in general surgery at New York Presbyterian Hospital in Queens, N.Y.

You can learn more about current and former Woman One scholars, as well as past Woman One Award winners here.