Sumaya receives top award at convention

(COLLEGE STATION, TX) — Ciro V. Sumaya, M.D., M.P.H.T.M., professor and holder of the Cox Endowed Chair at the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, will receive the top award of the Texas Rural Health Association at its annual convention Wednesday, Aug. 6 in Austin.

Dr. Sumaya will be honored with the Marion Zetzman Award, co-sponsored by The University of Texas System and given in recognition of an individual who has made a significant difference in improving the health of rural Texans. Dr. Zetzman was the first board president of the Center for Rural Health Initiatives (now Office of Rural Communities Affairs) and served in that capacity until his death in 1996.

“I am deeply honored to receive the Marion Zetzman Award from the Texas Rural Health Association,” Dr. Sumaya said. “I personally knew Marion Zetzman and readily recall his zeal and advocacy toward rural Texans. It is important that the spirit of this award continues to flourish and expands the needed attention the health of our rural communities merit.”

Other HSC-School of Rural Public Health faculty and staff invited to make presentations during the three-day conference are Larry Gamm, professor and head of health policy and management; Jane Bolin, Ph.D., J.D., R.N., associate professor; Cathy Liles, M.P.H., senior research associate; and Sharon Alderete and Sherry Falgout, M.P.H., managers in the Office of Special Programs.

The Texas Rural Health Association is a nonprofit organization composed of individuals and organizations throughout Texas whose primary goal is to improve the health of rural Texans through leadership on rural health care issues, advocacy, communication and education.

The Texas A&M Health Science Center provides the state with health education, outreach and research. Its seven colleges located in communities throughout Texas are the Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, the College of Medicine in College Station and Temple, the College of Nursing in College Station, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the Institute of Biosciences and Technology in Houston, the Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy in Kingsville, and the School of Rural Public Health in College Station.