Page 20 - 2020 Awards & Recognition

Guey C. Mark, MD, & Clara T. Mark Scholarship
Kelvin Mark, DO ’90, established this family scholarship in honor of his parents. This award is presented to a student who has served in active duty in the military or is currently serving as a reservist, and who demonstrates a deep commitment to the concepts of humanism and community outreach.
Douglas Jury
Class of 2023
Douglas served his country in
the United States Army and saw firsthand the heartbreaking
realities of small Iraqi communities. Transitioning to civilian life was not easy for Douglas. At one point he found himself close to homelessness, but his determination paid off when he was accepted to the University of
California, Irvine. He took part in their mobile food pantry and served the Santa Ana community. Coming to COMP, Douglas learned of the Pomona Homeless Outreach Program and gladly joined. He has a true spirit for volunteerism and stays grounded and humble. He finds happiness in teaching others about eating healthy meals and living healthy lifestyles. We sincerely thank him for his military service.
Jeff Plumb Memorial Award
This award was established by the Classes of 1982, 1983, 1984, and 1985 in memory of Jeff Plumb, a member of the Class of 1985, after his death during his third year at COMP. This award is given to a student for their passionate pursuit of hobbies and interests other than medicine.
Megan Messinger
Class of 2021
Megan is a talented and gifted student. She is also a published poet and writer of fiction having collaborated on the 2017 novel “Tortall: A Spy’s Guide” with author/creator Tamora Pierce (a favorite author of Megan’s since her childhood). Megan became the first WesternU student to
place in NEOMed’s William Carlos Williams Poetry Contest. She also worked for two years as an editor for WesternU’s annual Humanism in the Health Sciences magazine poetry submissions. Her passion for writing and practicing medicine will continue throughout her life and she will no doubt join the ranks of fellow physician/authors combining their gifts of healing with words.