Theodore DeWeese, the CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine and dean of the medical faculty at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, is one of this year’s recipients of the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
Presented by the Ellis Island Honors Society, the national award recognizes individuals who have made lasting contributions to the United States while embodying the values of the American spirit and the legacy of immigration.
Approximately 100 honorees are selected each year from a range of fields including business, science, the arts, and philanthropy. The medal is presented to individuals who have shown an outstanding commitment to serving the United States either professionally, culturally, or civically. It’s officially recognized by both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, and the names of recipients are entered into the Congressional Record.
According to The Hub, Hopkins’ news site, DeWeese was recently honored at a gala ceremony in the historic Great Hall on Ellis Island, where millions of immigrants were once welcomed to America. He was recognized for his global leadership in cancer research and for his scientific advisory role with the Radiation Effects Research Foundation in Hiroshima, an appointment by the National Academy of Sciences.
The Ellis Island Honors Society celebrates the efforts of the nation’s immigrants and their descendants. Besides awarding the Medal of Honor, it supports scholarships, hosts cultural programs across the country, and supports disaster relief efforts worldwide.
Past medalists include eight U.S. Presidents; Sen. John McCain; Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist; Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor; Nobel laureates Elie Wiesel and James Allison; Coretta Scott King; Muhammad Ali; Rosa Parks; Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and many others.
Why have I never heard of this award?