ADVISORY, May 30, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) --
WHAT: The 24th Annual Commencement Ceremony of Charles Drew
University of Medicine and Science (CDU) will feature
keynote address by Karen Bass, newly named Speaker of the
California State Assembly and first African American
woman to be elected to lead any legislative body in
American history.
In addition:
* President's Medal being awarded to Dr. Vidya Kaushik,
noted cardiologist and educator at CDU for more than 30
years;
* Special honorary degrees will be presented to:
* Dr. Reed V. Tuckson, Executive Vice President and
Chief of Medical Affairs for UnitedHealth Group,
and former President of CDU;
* Dr. Carmine D. Clemente, Distinguished Professor at
UCLA and CDU; and
* State Assembly Speaker Karen Bass.
WHO: Dr. Susan Kelly, President and CEO of Charles Drew
University, will preside over the ceremonies.
WHEN: Saturday, May 31, 2008, beginning at 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: On the campus of Charles Drew University, adjacent to Cobb
Building, 1731 East 120th Street, Los Angeles, California
90059. Free parking on 120th Street, off of Wilmington
Avenue, two blocks from the 105 Freeway exit.
Directions from Los Angeles: Take the 110 or 405 Freeway
south, to the 105 Freeway east (toward Norwalk). Exit
Wilmington Avenue, turn right to 120th Street, and turn
right to parking.
ABOUT CHARLES DREW UNIVERSITY:
A private non-profit educational institution in the Watts-
Willowbrook area of South Los Angeles, Charles Drew
University of Medicine and Science has provided quality
college, graduate and post-graduate education and training
to thousands of qualified minority and other students for
more than 35 years. As part of its mission, the University
has also provided urgently needed healthcare services to
chronically underserved residents of the poorest
communities in Los Angeles County, serving the 1.6 million
citizens in its 94-square-mile service area. If this
service area were a municipality, it would be the fifth
largest city in the U.S.
The University is widely regarded as an innovative medical
education university pioneering in teaching doctors and
healthcare professionals, and in conducting quality
research, to deal with the special needs of the poor,
chronically ill populations in the inner city. By
expanding relationships with local medical schools,
research institutions and community-based organizations,
the University is focused on eliminating health care
disparities by providing access to and delivery of health
care services to underserved populations. The University
has been remarkably successful in achieving its primary
goal of producing physicians and other healthcare
professionals who return to the community to serve people
who are uninsured or underinsured.
Charles Drew University's unique environment of providing
medical education has been lauded as a national model. The
university is also the nation's only dually designated
Historically Black Graduate Institution and Hispanic
Serving Health Professions School. Research shows both
that its students become more committed to the mission as
they progress through their medical education and that 10
years after graduation, 70% of Charles Drew University
trained physicians are still working with underserved
populations.
Further information about The Charles Drew University may
be found on its website at http://www.cdrewu.edu.