A reception to recognize the Avicenna Community Health Center team and to highlight the academia-community partnership involving the University of Illinois and the Urbana-Champaign community was hosted by University of Illinois President Michael Hogan and his wife at the President’s House on November 8th, 2011. It was an honor for the Avicenna team and a great statement of support from the President. President Hogan extended Eid Greetings and lauded Avicenna’s efforts, particularly those of volunteer students in providing much needed preventive and curative healthcare to the uninsured residents of the area.

Among those present were Phyllis Wise, Vice President and the Chancellor of the University of Illinois; Larry Schook, Vice President for Research; Ilesanmi Adesida, the Dean of the College of Engineering; Tanya Gallagher, the Dean of the College of Applied Health Sciences, and many other respected members of the UI faculty and the healthcare, interfaith, and general community of Urbana-Champaign.

Support from leaders at the University of Illinois is truly an inspiration for Avicenna to work harder toward an issue that needs tremendous attention. Avicenna president Irfan Ahmad thanked the UI president and his wife for hosting the recognition reception for Avicenna, and he thankfully acknowledged the launch support provided by the Champaign County Christian Health Center and others.  Student volunteer Marium Khan, a graduate student in public health made a moving speech narrating her life-changing experience and narrating a inspirational story about patient gratitude.