Medical School’s Founders Society Celebrated at Reception
April 25, 2024
More than 200 members of The Founders Society at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine gathered April 20 at the Arts Club of Chicago for an evening reception recognizing their transformative support.
The Founders Society honors those who contribute to Feinberg’s growth, excellence, and competitiveness through their generous philanthropic gifts and volunteer service. More than 3,000 alumni, faculty, friends, and staff are members of this prestigious giving society.
“Philanthropy is about making a tangible difference,” said Founders Society member and reception attendee Nicholas J. Volpe, MD, chair and George W. and Edwina S. Tarry Professor of Ophthalmology. “As a Feinberg donor, endowed professor, and parent to physicians in training, I am honored to be part of a community of philanthropists so dedicated to improving human health.”
Dr. Volpe attended the reception with his wife, Francesa Mattone-Volpe, MD, and his son, Nicholas J. Volpe Jr., ’21 MD, ’21 MBA, a third-year resident in the Department of Anesthesiology. He also has a daughter, Lena J. Volpe, ’24 MD, who will begin her residency in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in July. The younger Dr. Volpe attended the reception with his wife, Janina.
During remarks at the reception, Alan Krensky, MD, executive for Development at Northwestern Medicine and vice dean for Development and Alumni Relations at Feinberg, expressed his utmost gratitude for donors like the Volpes.
“This is really our panoply of champions,” Dr. Krensky said, going on to share highlights from the previous year. He lauded the growing healthcare and educational impact of the Robert J. Havey Institute for Global Health, established in 2021 thanks to a generous gift from University Trustees Patrick G. Ryan and Shirley W. Ryan, and the Potocsnak Longevity Institute, established in 2022 thanks to the generosity of John Potocsnak and his family.
Dr. Krensky also touched on two needs for the future that will require substantial philanthropic support: the tower for the new Louis A. Simpson and Kimberly K. Querrey Biomedical Research Center and competitive scholarship support for Feinberg students.
“If we are going to continue to grow and increase our footprint as an academic medical center, we are going to have to increase our research space,” Dr. Krensky said of the Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center.
While many medical school alumni attended the event in concert with Alumni Weekend festivities, including a Commitment to Scholarships luncheon, not all members of The Founders Society are alumni. They are also grateful patients, family, and friends across the world who give to Northwestern through their philanthropy and volunteerism to fuel vital medical research, education, and training led by the school’s faculty and their teams.