Indianapolis, October 18, 2010 – An organization that works to alleviate human suffering and help those most in need, a nurse and teacher who spent her career improving racial and ethnic minority health, and a woman who dedicated her entire career to advocating for the underserved will be honored at this year’s Rawls Scholarship Dinner. 
The awards dinner will be held Thursday evening, October 21, with funds raised from the event benefiting the George H. Rawls, M.D. Scholarship Fund Endowment. The eleventh annual event, sponsored by American Senior Communities, USA Funds, Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County, Wishard Health Services and Marion County Health Department, will be held at the Indiana Roof Ballroom, bringing community members together to celebrate the contributions of those who have made a difference in the public health community. 
At the distinguished event, three public health leaders will be recognized for their contributions to improving health care for those most in need.  The award recipients include The Glick Fund, a fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation; Kathleen Russell, PhD, RN; and the late Lettie Oliver.  Proceeds from the event will help provide full tuition scholarships to the Indiana University School of Medicine for underrepresented minority students from Indiana who aspire to become physicians. This year’s honorary chair is Rose M. Mays, RN, PhD, professor emerita at the Indiana University School of Nursing.   
"The Rawls Scholarship program enables us to keep our best minds and brightest students in Indiana.  These accomplished scholars are the state’s future leaders in medicine.  This vitally important program will increase geometrically the number of minority physicians in our community," said Matthew R. Gutwein, president and chief executive officer of the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County.  "The Rawls Scholarship Dinner offers an excellent opportunity to recognize the contributions of our public health leaders and to expand the Rawls Scholarship program." 
In Indiana, less than four percent of physicians are African American and less than three percent are Hispanic.  Research consistently demonstrates patients treated by a physician of similar culture and ethnicity have better clinical outcomes and greater satisfaction.
The George H. Rawls, M.D. Scholarship Fund Endowment was established in 2000 by the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County and awarded its first tuition grant that same year. Currently there are nine scholars in medical school and 12 graduates in the program.  Rawls Scholars express strong social concern and most, upon completing their medical training, plan to serve their community. 
The Wishard Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving Wishard Health Services, the Marion County Health Department and Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County, manages the George H. Rawls, M.D. Scholarship Fund.  The Wishard Foundation recognizes that efforts to train more minority physicians can have a profoundly positive impact on the health care of minority patients. 
Indiana Public Health Award Winner 
The Glick Fund, a fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation, was established by Gene and Marilyn Glick in 1998 to support a variety of causes in central Indiana.  Over the past decade, it has awarded over $30 million in grants to effective not-for-profit organizations.  The Glick Fund is focused on making a measurable impact in four specific areas: increasing educational opportunities, promoting arts and creative expression, supporting efforts toward self-sufficiency, alleviating human suffering and helping those in need. 
Working with Central Indiana Community Foundation staff, The Glick Fund advisors proactively seek organizations that align with the Fund’s impact areas.  One beneficiary is the Palliative Care Fellowship Program at the Indiana University School of Medicine.  Under the direction of Wishard Palliative Care medical director Dr. Greg Gramelspacher, the Palliative Care Fellowship Program, in its sixth year, educates physicians to become experts in the care of patients with life threatening illnesses. 
Indiana Public Health Award Winner 
Dr. Kathleen Russell has devoted her public health nursing career to improving racial and ethnic minority health through community service, public health practice, and nursing research.  Formerly an associate professor in the school of nursing at Indiana University, she received her doctor of nursing science from Indiana University in 1993 with a major in community health and health policy.  Dr. Russell served as a special consultant on black and minority health to the commissioner of the Indiana State Department of Health in 1987 at which time she initiated the development of a statewide network of county minority health coalitions. She was a cofounder of the Indiana Minority Health Coalition (IMHC), an advocacy organization for the affiliate local coalitions.  As IMHC’s first president she collaborated with the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus in the successful legislative passage of the Indiana Minority Health Initiative.   
Indiana Public Health Award Winner 
This past March, the world lost a dedicated advocate who worked tirelessly for working people and humanity at large.  Lettie Oliver will be remembered for her devotion to the underserved, and for championing the causes of those without a voice.  As the associate director AFSME Local 62, and president for the Central Indiana Labor Council, Oliver represented more than 10,000 workers in central Indiana.  Considered a voice for organized labor, and a strong advocate for women workers, she fought to improve the pay and working conditions for janitors and hotel workers in downtown Indianapolis.  Additionally, as part of the Indiana Pay Equity Coalition, she pushed legislation to ensure equal pay for equal work.  Oliver was deeply involved in local efforts to improve her community.  Always outspoken about public health issues, she was instrumental in organizing and rallying support for the referendum to build The New Wishard.  Oliver’s passion for health care, education, and jobs resulted in the betterment of all e lives she touched.