Meet Our Donors
Elinor Cantor, PhD, MCP '79
Elinor Cantor, PhD, MCP '79 and Barry Nelson Jones, PhD
When Elinor Cantor, PhD, MCP '79, graduated from Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1979, the American Medical Association had just established the Ad Hoc Committee on Women Physicians – a first, small step toward recognizing women's growing role in the medical field.
Fast forward nearly 40 years.
The number of female doctors has increased five-fold, and women are making essential contributions to medicine in the lab, the boardroom, the ER and at medical practices across the country.
Ellie, as she is affectionately known, wants to help solidify that progress for years to come.
She and her husband, Barry, recently pledged a legacy gift to support students at the Drexel University College of Medicine, helping to continue the advancement of women in medicine.
"My parents taught me from a young age that you always give back,'' says Ellie. "I have always supported the institutions and organizations that were helpful and meaningful in my life. And that included educational institutions. That's been the basis of my ongoing annual giving.''
An adjunct faculty member at the Drexel University College of Medicine and a member of the College's Advisory Board, Ellie has forged a long and successful career in the biopharmaceutical industry, helping to place some of the nation's top scientists, senior managers and corporate directors in influential positions.
As former president of The Trust Fund of the Alumnae/i Association of WMC/MCP, the Phoenixville, Pennsylvania resident oversaw awards of thousands of dollars to deserving medical students. And she has generously given of her own resources, making substantial contributions to a plethora of the College's efforts and initiatives.
Now, with their own financial future sound, Ellie and Barry have decided to bequeath a percentage of their estate to the WMC-MCP Trust Endowed Fund, which is administered as part of the Drexel University Pooled Endowment.
The fund provides much-needed support for female students at the College of Medicine, underwriting everything from research fellowships to international travel.
"Until the last 10 or 15 years of my life, I wasn't in a position to think about planned giving,'' Ellie says. "I've been very fortunate in the last few years. So, as life has been more fortunate to us, we have started thinking long-term.''
Ellie recognizes the critical need for fiscal support of graduate students.
"Funding for graduate students is very limited,'' she explains. "That's why it is important for us to give back to the organization that provided for us. These institutions got us to this point in our careers. It's a very worthwhile and satisfying way to preserve the value of a graduate education at Drexel University College of Medicine.
"With this gift, I'm able to both support women in medicine through the trust fund and show that women can also be donors and supporters,'' she adds. "There is a great satisfaction in that.''