Shital Vora has always believed that a single individual can make a significant difference. After attending an annual medical mission trip to Central America in 2002 with a group of physicians and students from another university, she asked the question, “What next?” Its answer did not sit well with her. A year later, while completing her bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences at Marquette University, she formed a medical brigade club that evolved into the Global Brigades organization, the world’s largest student-led organization for sustainable development in which students serve rural populations in Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, and Belize, and with established chapters on college campuses across North America and Europe. As the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Global Brigades, Dr. Vora spearheads its mission with unparalleled dedication and expertise and is widely regarded as a visionary leader and trailblazer in global health initiatives.
Shital Vora graduated from Marquette’s doctoral program in physical therapy in 2006 and subsequently honed her skills in orthopedics and sports medicine at one of Chicago’s premier orthopedic practices. Her leadership within Global Brigades became her primary focus and is nothing short of transformative. From her roles as head of Health Programs, to Chief Program Officer and Chief People Officer, to CEO, Dr. Vora has cultivated a true culture of innovation and excellence. After founding the inaugural medical brigade club at Marquette, her initiative has since grown into a global movement for sustainable development, serving in seven countries with more than 600 university chapters, mobilizing over 100,000 volunteers, partnering with over 800 communities, providing access to water to over 50,000 individuals, investing over $9 million in community banks, providing over 1.6 million patient health care consultations, and counting.
Dr. Vora’s responsibilities extend beyond strategic leadership. She is a formidable fundraiser who has leveraged her extensive network to secure vital resources for the organization’s social impact initiatives. With more than $150 million raised, Shital’s visionary approach and acumen have propelled Global Brigades to new heights. With a focus on resolving health and economic disparities, the Global Brigades organization uniquely implements its holistic model to meet each individual community’s health and economic goals through a model that systematically fosters community ownership and collaboratively executes its programs. The end goal within each community is a sustainable transition to a relationship of impact monitoring, having gained the resources and capacity to thrive.
Because of her innovative spirit and visionary leadership in mobilizing an international movement of compassion, empowerment, and transformative change, President Lovell, I hereby recommend Shital Vora for the Marquette University degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa..
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