LEWISBURG, W.Va. (WVDN) – The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) will host a “Dancing With the D.O.s” fundraiser for student scholarships at 6:30 p.m., Nov. 8, on the school’s Lewisburg campus.
Tickets to Dancing With the D.O.s are available to the public. Tickets cost $150 and can be purchased at wvsom.edu/gala.
The event is a celebration of community spirit showcasing the talents of medical professionals outside their usual roles. Admission includes dinner, dance performances by Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine and further opportunities to contribute to scholarships. It will take place in the Conference Center in the WVSOM Student Center, and semi-formal attire is encouraged.
Couples currently scheduled to compete as dancers include Hilary Hamric, D.O., and Mark Waddell, D.O.; Christi Hughart, D.O., and Vinh Nguyen, D.O.; and Karen Steele, D.O., and Tom Steele, D.O. Surprise guest dance performances will take place following the competitive portion of the event.
In addition to a winning couple chosen by three in-person judges, the public will have the chance to vote for a “fan favorite” couple by donating $1 per vote, also at wvsom.edu/gala. Winning couples will receive trophies.
A silent auction during the event also will benefit scholarships through the WVSOM Foundation. Among the items auctioned will be multiple trips to locations in the Caribbean, with a combined value of about $34,000.
Donette Mizia, WVSOM’s executive director of foundation relations, said every dollar raised by the event will help open the door to a career in medicine for someone who might not otherwise have the chance.
“Scholarships through the WVSOM Foundation do more than help students fund their education — they invest in future physicians who will care for our communities for decades to come,” Mizia said. “Dancing With the D.O.s will be a fun evening that also shapes the future of health care.”
Margaret Anne Rice, a student in WVSOM’s Class of 2028, said funds she has received while at WVSOM help her worry less about finances so she can focus on her medical education.
“I’ve wanted to be a physician since I was in sixth grade, and when you are 10 or 11, you don’t think about how much your dreams are going to cost. But that was something I was passionate about for a long time. Having a scholarship helps ease the financial burden repaying loans will have in the future,” she said.
Sponsors of Dancing With the D.O.s include Vandalia Health, the WVSOM Alumni Association, the WVSOM Foundation, Dr. Art and Missy Rubin, AccessHealth, Mason & Barry, Drs. Jodi Flanders and James Deering, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center-GoHealth Urgent Care, WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital, Boone Memorial Health, City National Bank, Bank of Monroe, Rainelle Medical Center, Whit Yates and Jack Carvalho, WVU Medicine United Hospital Center, Bailey & Wyant, Pocahontas Memorial Hospital, WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital, Dr. James and Nancy Nemitz, The American Beer Company, The Country Vintner, Gillespie’s Events & Florals, Logan Regional Medical Center and WVSOM.
