Nova Southeastern Universitys College of Osteopathic Medicine (NSU-COM) earned two prestigious honors at the 8th Annual NSU Student Life Achievement (Stuey) Awards. Dana Block, a fourth-year student from Hollywood, Florida, was named NSU Student of the Year, and Ross Zafonte, D.O., of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a class of 1985 graduate, was named NSU Alumnus of the Year. The Stuey Awards serve as a celebration of NSUs best in leadership, scholarship, service, integrity, commitment, involvement, and responsibility.
Block was honored for her outstanding commitment, which she exhibited as soon as she began her medical school experience. In addition to serving as class president during her first year at NSU-COM, she also served as president of the colleges Student Government Association. As a result, she has gained a reputation for being both a popular and prolific student who is always seeking ways to assist the community and provide enhanced educational opportunities for her fellow matriculants.
Although its been over two decades since Dr. Zafonte graduated from the inaugural NSU-COM class of 1985, he has never lost touch with the institution that provided him with his entrée into the osteopathic profession. Dr. Zafonte became the first alumnus to participate in NSU-COMs newly formed academical societies by making a sizable contribution to the worthy cause. “I was happy to give back to the college in this way because its a mechanism that allows us to help younger people grow in specific areas of interest and in areas where they need to become more accomplished or develop further thought processes,” he stated. “The future is fraught with all sorts of change, and those students who learn to think dynamically and innovatively are more likely than not to be the ones who succeed.”
