Thursday, December 10, 2009
Presbyterian Cardiovascular Institute Physician Mentors Young Students and Supports Community Organizations
Local cardiologist Yele Aluko, M.D., FACC, of the Presbyterian Cardiovascular Institute and Mid Carolina Cardiology, was one of just five people honored nationwide with an Award of Excellence from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Dr. Aluko was honored for his contributions to the community, specifically his efforts to encourage and challenge young people to pursue a college education. Awards were presented to the five recipients during the program’s Sixth Annual Awards of Excellence dinner.
“The Awards of Excellence events offer a great foundation to recognize community leaders who inspire and serve as role models for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s students,” said Dwayne Ashley, president and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.
Dr. Aluko has served as a dedicated mentor to more than a dozen young students.
“I think that everybody who has an opportunity to be successful can be in a position of influence,” said Dr. Aluko. “A school teacher, an executive—anyone in a position of influence—has an obligation to channel some of that influence to the next generation – particularly to youth who wouldn’t ordinarily have that kind of exposure or access.”
Five of Dr. Aluko’s former students attended the awards dinner, including Adana Campbell, a senior at Vance High School. For a two-month period over the summer, Campbell worked at Dr. Aluko’s side, meeting patients before and after surgery and observing cardiology procedures.
“He’s a great mentor; he keeps you focused,” said Campbell. “He’s inspired me and showed me that the more schooling I get and the harder I work, the more phenomenal the results will be.”
In addition to his inspiring work with young students, Dr. Aluko has been a passionate contributor to the local community since 1989. He is a past board member of the Association of Black Cardiologists, a past president and founding member of the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas and a founding member of the Carolinas Association for Community Health Equity. Dr. Aluko has also served on the board of the World Affairs Council of Charlotte and the Greater Carolinas chapter of the American Red Cross.
A practicing cardiologist and past president at Mid Carolina Cardiology, Dr. Aluko was born in Nigeria, West Africa. Following medical school in Nigeria, he completed a residency and fellowship at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and a fellowship in cardiology at Cornell University Medical College.
