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Health Impact Awards Honor Students, Alumni, Faculty, and Friends at a Gala Celebration in Oakland

Rebecca Lippman
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Jasmine Thorpe, OTD ’23 (left), an advocate for equitable pregnancy, postpartum, and mental healthcare services, received SMU’s Recent Graduate Impact Award.

A Night to Remember

Samuel Merritt University honored the significant accomplishments and impacts of 10 distinguished members of the SMU community during the annual Health Impact Awards gala celebration at the Scottish Rite Center in Oakland on April 3, 2025, where over 250 members of the SMU community gathered for a festive dinner and ceremony. 

In the words of Dr. Ching-Hua Wang, President and CEO of SMU, these awardees embody “our core values – advancing health equity, serving the public, and delivering compassionate care.” 

In addition to honoring students, alumni, and faculty awards were presented to individuals who exemplify the University’s deep ties to the Bay Area and California, reflecting conscious efforts to stay rooted in the local communities that SMU graduates have served since the university’s founding in 1909.  

During a moving gala celebration at the Scottish Rite Center in Oakland on April 3, 2025, SMU thanked Jane Garcia, CEO of La Clínica de La Raza and Dr. John F. Simmons Jr., a distinguished oncologist, for modeling meaningful paths for our students as they work towards their own impactful careers and commitments to equitable healthcare, service, and compassion.  

 

A Spotlight on Sponsors

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In addition to shining a spotlight on inspiring leaders of healthcare in the East Bay, the Health Impact Awards celebrated the many local sponsors who made the awards ceremony possible.  Another testament to SMU’s investment in building partnerships that keep our students and service grounded in the community, these sponsors represent a history of collaborations that have widespread impacts on healthcare in the Bay Area.  

 

Captured Moments

Photo of four individuals standing together. From left to right: a woman in a gold blouse and brown skirt, a woman in black, a man in a suit with a boutonnière, and a woman with white hair and glasses wearing a brown jacket. The background shows a banner for Samuel Merritt University.
Ava Roberts-Stewart, BSN ’25 (third from right), who focusses on bridging the gap in crisis care and public awareness about stalking prevention and response through community engagement and featured podcasts, received the University’s Spirit of SMU Award.
Close-up of a man speaking at a podium, holding a microphone. He has curly dark hair, a light gray blazer, and is smiling while addressing the audience. The background features the ‘Samuel Merritt University’ logo on a blue banner.
Mohammad Deen, MSN ’18 an active healthcare provider for underserved communities across the globe and advocate for addressing the global anesthesia shortage, received SMU’s Outstanding Service Award. 
Photo of four individuals standing together. From left to right: a woman in a gold blouse and brown skirt, a woman in black, a man in a suit with a boutonnière, and a woman with white hair and glasses wearing a brown jacket. The background shows a banner for Samuel Merritt University.
Dr. John F. Simmons, Jr. (second from right, pictured with Dr. Ching-Hua Wang, Dr. Jovine Hankins, and his wife Gayle Wilson-Simmons), former Chair of SMU’s Ethnic Health Institute and retired oncologist with 30+ years of experience serving the East Bay cancer community with a commitment to addressing health disparities in communities of color, received SMU’s Outstanding Service Award. 
Photo of two women smiling for a photo. The woman on the left is wearing a green blazer with a yellow shirt, and the woman on the right is wearing a black top with a gold necklace. They are posing in front of a window with a view of the outdoors.
Jane Garcia (right, pictured with the Honorable Barbara Lee), CEO of La Clínica de La Raza for over 40 years and founding member of the California Primary Care Association, received the Distinguished Friend of the University Award for her commitment to serving all residents of the East Bay, regardless of income or immigration status.
Photo of two men smiling and posing together. One is wearing a patterned tie and glasses, and the other is dressed in a black suit and red tie. They are standing in front of a staircase in a formal setting.
David Armstrong, DPM ’93 (on left), Distinguished Professor of Surgery and Neurological Surgery at the University of Southern California, received SMU’s Distinguished Alumni Award.  Jon Hultman, DPM ’70 (on right), recently retired executive director of the California Podiatric Medical Association, received the University’s Innovative Leadership Award.
Photo of three individuals on stage at an awards ceremony. The man in the center is holding an award trophy, and the woman on the left and man on the right are standing next to him. They are smiling, and the background is a blue banner with the ‘Samuel Merritt University Health Impact Awards’ logo.
Jason Lau, DPT ’25 (third from right), founder of the Special Olympics Walking Club at SMU and advocate for inclusive physical activity, received the University’s Spirit of SMU Award.
Photo of three individuals standing on stage at a ceremony. On the left is a man in a suit, in the middle is a woman holding an award and a certificate, and on the right is a woman in a traditional outfit holding a certificate. The background is a banner that says ‘Samuel Merritt University Health Impact Awards.'
Albertha “Jenny” Richardson, BSN ’87 (second from left), a distinguished nursing leader who has focused her 37-year career on shaping nursing operations and future healthcare leaders in the East Bay, received SMU’s Distinguished Alumni Health Impact Award.
A woman in a dark dress with flowers standing at the podium while another man in a gray suit stands beside her. The background shows the ‘Samuel Merritt University Health Impact Awards’ logo.
Shelitha Campbell (left), Assistant Professor in the University’s Family Nurse Practitioner Program, Chair of the College of Nursing Community Engagement Committee, and National Black Nurses Association Fellow with leadership roles in multiple Bay Area Associations, received SMU’s Outstanding Service Award.
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