WINS is pleased to announce new Awards and Scholarships this year, including the Future Women Leaders in Neurosurgery Scholarship and the Shelly D. Timmons Leadership Award. For more information, please see details below or visit us on the WINS website.
Future Women Leaders in Neurosurgery Scholarship
This year the CNS foundation announced the Future Women Leaders in Neurosurgery Scholarship, and beginning in 2021 the foundation will award scholarships to female neurosurgeons early in their medical career, allowing them to attend leadership opportunities of their choice. The purpose of the scholarship is to support the development of female neurosurgeons early in their career so they may attend enriching leadership opportunities. The individual awards range from $500-2000 in support for education expenses, and applications are encouraged from those within 10 years of residency completion. The award is restricted to specific leadership events which include individual coaching, leadership development course, healthcare management certification, GME development, support of MPH/MBA or similar degree, with opportunities to be defined by the applicant. For more information about future application windows and details of this opportunity please visit the CNS foundation website, at https://foundation.cns.org/future-women-s-leadership-in-neurosurgery-scholarship-landing-page
This year the CNS foundation announced the Future Women Leaders in Neurosurgery Scholarship and beginning in 2021 the foundation will award scholarships to female neurosurgeons early in their medical career, allowing them to attend leadership opportunities of their choice. The purpose of the scholarship is to support the development of female neurosurgeons early in their career so they may attend enriching leadership opportunities. The individual awards range from $500-2000 in support for education expenses, and applications are encouraged from those within 10 years of residency completion. The award is restricted to specific leadership events which include individual coaching, leadership development course, healthcare management certification, GME development, support of MPH/MBA or similar degree, with opportunities to be defined by the applicant.
In a news announcement released in October 2020, the CNS Foundation announced the establishment of the scholarship by a generous gift from an anonymous donor. In the news release, WINS representatives Dr. Ellen Air and Dr. Martina Stippler commented on the scholarship: “The donor has been inspired by female neurosurgeons over the years; they hope the gift will make it possible for more women to reach top leadership positions in our domain,” said Ellen Air, CNS Executive Committee member-at-large and current Chair for the section of Women in Neurosurgery (WINS). “I am excited to make my own gift to support my future female colleagues.” Dr. Stippler, WINS past president, commented as well, “How wonderful to get this announcement at the same time we celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the section on Women in Neurosurgery,” and continued, “We are extremely grateful to this donor. I encourage everyone who supports the CNS Foundation to make one of their 2020 gifts to the Future Women Leaders in Neurosurgery Scholarship.” For more details from the press release please see https://foundation.cns.org/about/news-detail/cns-foundation-announces-future-women-leaders-in-n-2
In August, The CNS Foundation announced the inaugural winners for the Future Women Leaders in Neurosurgery Scholarship. In addition to the grant award, the winners will also receive a travel grant to attend the CNS Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas. Winners will be honored during the CNS Annual Meeting at CNS Foundation events and at the Women in Neurosurgery 30th Anniversary Celebration on October 17. The winners are:
- Beverly Cheserem, Assistant Professor and Consultant neurosurgeon at the Aga Khan University Hospital, is from Nairobi, Kenya. Dr. Cheserem will allocate her award to attend, “Surgical Leadership Program” at Harvard Medical School.
- Kimberly Hoang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Hoang will allocate her award to attend the three-day online symposium, “Career Advancement and Leadership Skills for Women in Healthcare,” offered by Harvard Medical School.
- Sylvia Shitsama is a consultant Neurosurgeon and a lecturer at the School of Medicine, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Nairobi, Kenya. Dr. Shitsama will allocate her award to attend the three-day online symposium, “Career Advancement and Leadership Skills for Women in Healthcare,” offered by Harvard Medical School.
In the press release announcement of the winners, which can be viewed in the News link on the CNS Foundation Website https://foundation.cns.org/about/news-detail/cns-foundation-announces-winners-of-future-women-l-2, Dr. Air commented “The pool of applicants was outstanding,” said Ellen Air, CNS Member-at-Large and President of WINS, “There is a large group of ambitious, admirable women in neurosurgery. With the support of many, we look forward to continuing these scholarships for years to come.” “We are delighted to be able to meet these three future leaders in neurosurgery during the CNS Annual Meeting. Thanks to the generosity of our visionary donor and Penumbra, Inc., our WINS celebration will have even more to celebrate,” said Martina Stippler, a CNS Foundation Board member, CNS Secretary-Elect and Past President of Women in Neurosurgery Section (WINS), referring to the travel grants which were made possible through the generosity of Foundation industry partner Penumbra, Inc. The CNS Foundation also announced that “The anonymous donor has pledged two more years of gifts to the Clinical Scientist Career Development fund and asks that the CNS community continue to contribute and build this scholarship’s success.”
WINS would like to congratulate the inaugural winners and we are excited to celebrate with them in Austin, TX. For more information about future application windows and details of this opportunity please visit the CNS foundation website, at https://foundation.cns.org/future-women-s-leadership-in-neurosurgery-scholarship-landing-page
The Shelly D. Timmons Leadership Award
The Neurosurgical Research and Education Foundation (NREF) announced the inaugural Shelly D. Timmons Leadership Award earlier this year and applications were accepted through the NREF this spring. The Shelly D. Timmons Honor Your Mentor (HYM) Fund was established to support leadership development for all young neurosurgeons. The recipient of this award has the opportunity to develop leadership skills through participation in mentoring sessions with Dr. Timmons by joining her at an AANS or other meeting. The award covers reimbursement of travel expenses and is open to physicians accepted to or currently in residency programs, or neurosurgeons no more than two years from having completed their training who are currently in practice in the United States, Canada, or Mexico.
On the NREF website readers can see additional information about the award, about donors to the fund, and about donating to the NREF Shelly D. Timmons Honor Your Mentor Fund. It also provides an overview of Dr. Timmons’ educational and professional history and her achievements, from obtained her medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, followed by neurological surgery residency training at the University of Tennessee in Memphis, also earning her PhD in Anatomy and Neurobiology to her practice in neurological surgery at Semmes-Murphey Clinic in Memphis, TN including leading the neurotrauma division, to her role as director of neurotrauma for the Geisinger Health System in Danville, PA, and continuing her leadership roles at Penn State University/Milton S. Hershey Medical Center where she took on the roles of professor, vice chair for administration and director of neurotrauma. She has served as principal investigator in numerous clinical trials and has published and lectured extensively. Dr. Timmons held numerous prestigious professional appointments including President of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) President. Dr. Timmons also served as prior WINS President, and the WINS community is excited to celebrate the Shelly D. Timmons Leadership Award.
The applications and further details can be viewed on the NREF Website. For more information about the award or to read more about Dr. Timmons’ achievements and contributions to neurosurgery, please visit the following link on the NREF website. https://www.nref.org/ways-to-give/Honor-Your-Mentor-Funds/Shelly-D-Timmons-Fund
