Dr. Stewart Alexander Memorial Scholarship Winner Announced

At the June 6 meeting of the Park Ridge Rotary Club, President Joeen Ciannella called upon Bernie Cohen to introduce the evening's program. In his introduction, Bernie recalled the circumstances surrounding the creation of the Stewart Alexander Scholarship over 20 years ago. Dr. Alexander was a talented, courageous and brilliant physician who had been a long time member of the Park Ridge Club. During his years at the former Pascack Valley Hospital, he and the club's guest speaker Dr. Nevins, had begun a 6 week medical internship program which was designed to provide college students with an inside look at the workings of a medical facility and the life of a doctor, before they applied to medical school.

This year, the club was pleased to present the Dr. Stewart Alexander Memorial Scholarship Award to Montvale resident and Pascack Hills High School graduate, Robert Thorwarth, M.D. 

Before presenting the scholarship, Bernie first shared a letter from Linda Hanlon who wrote movingly about the role Dr. Alexander had played in her professional as well as her Rotary life. For those who may not know, Linda was the first female member in the Park Ridge Rotary Club, having been sponsored by her friend and mentor, Dr. Alexander.

Bernie then explained that he and fellow Rotarian Don Ruschman had been determined in 1992 to establish a scholarship in memory of  Dr. Alexander who had died the year before. Reviewing the lifetime achievements of this outstanding gentleman, Bernie described Dr. Alexander's exploits during World War Two at Bari, Italy for which he was ultimately awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. His top-secret wartime research and reporting eventually led to groundbreaking work in the field of chemo-therapy.

Next to speak was Dr. Michael Nevins, retired Medical Director of Long Term Care at Bergen Regional Medical Center, who talked about the origin of Pascack Valley Hospital's medical internship program in which Dr. Thorwarth participated. Through the program, potential doctors were afforded the opportunity to shadow staff physicians and complete a mini-curriculum. Of those who went through the program, 90 % eventually became doctors.

Dr. Thorwarth was then called to the podium to receive his well deserved award. A long time resident of Montvale, Robert graduated from Pascack Hills High School. While there, he began what became a 7 year relationship with the Tri-Boro Ambulance Corps as an EMT. After receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Virginia, Robert went on to a highly successful four years at Georgetown University Medical School graduating cum laude and being elected to the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Society. Having now completed his internship in internal medicine at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington D.C. , Robert is about to begin his Residency in Anesthesiology and Critical Care at Johns Hopkins University. We wish him the best of luck in the years ahead, confident of his success, and hopeful that he will maintain his connections with the Park Ridge Rotary Club.