Donors and Scholars Meet in Person after Two Years

After two years of virtual gatherings, RSDM’s annual donor/scholar reception was held in person this year on Nov. 2 and brought together alumni, donors, and scholars for a celebration.

“It's really an honor to be able to host a scholarship dinner,” said Dean Cecile Feldman. “[Scholarship] really is a very, very special gift. It gives people opportunities to pursue their dreams, and equally important, they're able to give back to the community and give back to their patients. So, it really is just an ever-continuing stream of gifts given down the line.”

Horizon Endowed Scholars Ben Regis ’26 (left) and Saloni Patel ’23 (center) with their RSDM mentors, Rosa Chaviano-Moran, Glenn Rosivack, and Herminio Perez.

At the event, 43 scholarships were awarded, including the newly established Horizon Endowed Scholarship that stemmed out of a partnership between Horizon Foundation for New Jersey and RSDM.

The Horizon scholarship provides a sustained pathway of resources and is awarded to one first-year DMD candidate from an underrepresented population in the field of dentistry and one fourth-year DMD candidate interested in attending a pediatric dentistry residency after graduation. The inaugural scholars are Ben Regis ’26 and Saloni Patel ’23.

Horizon Foundation’s Executive Director, Jonathan Pearson, spoke at the event. “This is our first major investment in an endowed scholarship and it's a very special milestone for us,” Pearson said. “Horizon and the school developed this signature investment to further address the diversity gap in the dental profession. It will assist many New Jersey students now and into the future to pursue goals and dreams.”

President of RSDM Alumni Association Eileen Hoskin ’84 with Kinga Dabek ’25, Edward Wolfson, DDS, Endowed Scholar

Following Pearson, Kinga Dabek ’25, Edward Wolfson, DDS, Endowed Scholar, took the floor. “These scholarships help us take advantage of all the additional opportunities both Rutgers and life have in store for us, with less worry about the financial burden of graduate school,” Dabek said. She also reminded the audience that all the scholars have been evaluated holistically for their educational and extracurricular accomplishments. Dabek herself is a Foresight leader, guiding the new cohort of RSDM students in their dental school journey. A daughter of Polish immigrants, she also co-founded a nonprofit, Smiles of Solidarity, that helps vulnerable communities with their needs, ranging from clothing to medicine to dental supplies.

Eric Reitmeyer ’22

Eric Reitmeyer ’22, who is now a postgraduate resident at RSDM’s Pediatric Dentistry Department, also shared his experiences. “Believe it or not, I was in seventh grade when I decided I wanted to become a dentist,” he said. Although he thoroughly researched how to turn his dream into reality, he said he had a “rude awakening” when he learned the cost of attendance.

“I challenge all the recipients to remember how you feel today, to remember how honored you are to receive these awards, to remember how much these scholarships will benefit you,” he said. “If you can remember this day, I am confident that one day when you are successful, you will pay it forward and provide a future student with the same assistance and opportunity that you received here today.”