Global Medical Initiative
GMI is a 501(c)-3 student-run non-profit organization dedicated to assessing, addressing, and alleviating health care disparities world-wide. GMI was founded in 2003 by students of Case Western Reserve University, in Cleveland, OH, United States.
Rising Junior Shuqing (Helen) Xu takes the reigns of Global Medical Initiative in its 7th year of growth. Deeply committed to serving international health needs, Helen has extensive experience in volunteering abroad. From Guatemala to China, she has worked with health care providers in a wide variety of circumstances to deliver services to those in need. Working alongside Helen, rising Junior Andrew Hale will serve the role of Vice President of the organization. Andrew will also bring significant international experience from his trips to Guatemala and other countries. But more importantly, Andrew will provide the organization with an impassioned vision and steer the Executive Board and the General Body towards successfully implementing this vision. Together, Helen and Andrew look forward to aligning their experiences with GMI’s mission by working closely with the entire Board–including its youngest members, rising sophomores Katrina Velickovic and Megan Freeman.
Both Katrina and Megan became involved with GMI during their first semester of college. Drawn by the opportunity to volunteer in both the local community and international communities, Katrina and Megan started by helping GMI host fundraisers and events to increase awareness about global health issues. Members of the Executive Board saw promise in their involvement, and the pair was elected in January to begin their work on the planning side of GMI.
GMI is also returning a core group of rising Juniors to continue the growth of the organization. Mary Friesz, Andrea Pannunzio, Alaina Shahen, Robert King, Krishna Moparthi, Linda Lou, and Connie Tzou will begin the year with a strong focus on recruitment. Seniors Stephanie Obrych, Hersh Varma, and Yashar Niknafs plan to continue their roles as student-advisors to the group. In addition, the organization will be well positioned to take on the challenges of first-semester planning. Together, this young, talented Executive Board is going to propel the mission of GMI forward at break-neck pace.
In its 7th year of operation, Global Medical Initiative is proud to announce that it has been nominated for Case Western Reserve University’s prestigious Dorothy M. Pijan Leadership Award for Group Service. Named after the nationally renown student union professional and former Director of Student Activities at Thwing Student Center, this award honors the group of students or student organization which has made the most significant group contribution toward meeting the needs of the greater Cleveland community and/or non-profit service organization.
GMI has been recognized this year for its local volunteer efforts, as well as its mobilization in the wake of the tragic earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Locally, GMI helped dozens of CWRU students connect with volunteers at MedWish International to sort medical supplies at their Euclid Heights facility, 20 minutes away from Case’s campus. Over the course of a year, CWRU students dedicated a combined 300+ hours of service sorting, organizing, and packing thousands of pounds of medical supplies bound for underserved regions of the world.
In part due to our relationship with MedWish International, GMI was also able to mobilize student volunteers quickly following the March earthquakes that devastated the capital of Haiti. With a unified campaign to raise funds, awareness, and action called “Embrace Life: Haiti Relief Fund,” GMI was able to raise nearly $1000 in aid within the first month following the earthquake. These funds were then sent directly to Partners in Health based on the recommendation of former GMI President and 2009 graduate John Heintz.
The most significant result of the campaign, however, was that by mobilizing quickly, GMI was able to become a central source of information for CWRU students and community members to stay informed about developments in Haiti. GMI hopes to carry this momentum forward and continue to deliver updates to students about developments in Haiti. Sustained engagement by the international community will be critical in helping Haitians continue on the road to recovery.
For GMI, winning the Dorothy M. Pijan Leadership Award will mark a tremendous accomplishment. Not only will the award help us leverage our efforts towards continued student involvement, but it could also help us approach larger donors, whose funds could help our organization grow and increase our impact on both the Case community and the international community.
The Leadership Awards will be held in Thwing Ballroom on April 22nd, at 6:00PM.