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The John F. Beard Award
“Life’s greatest rewards are reserved for those who bring joy to the lives of others.” W. Payne
The
$25,000 John F. Beard Award is presented annually by William Porter “Billy”
Payne and his wife, Martha, to a graduating Medical College of Georgia
student who exemplifies caring and compassion in health care. Mr. Payne
established the award in 1998 to memorialize his father-in-law, who died in
1997. The award honors MCG President Emeritus Francis J. Tedesco and Mr.
Beard’s physician, Dr. Mark F. Williams, a 1988 graduate of the MCG School
of Medicine and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck
Surgery at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore. Dr. Williams
treated Mr. Beard, who had a malignant tumor, while on the MCG faculty. Dr.
Tedesco visited Mr. Beard twice daily during his lengthy stay at MCG Medical
Center.
During his treatment, Mr. Beard lived with his daughter and husband,
William Porter “Billy” Payne. Throughout his illness, Mr. Beard’s son,
daughter and their families cared for him with love and devotion and sought
the very best medical treatment- a search that led them to the Medical
College of Georgia.
Mr. Beard died nine months after surgery, but his
treatment at MCG an the care he received from Drs. Tedesco and Williams “was
successful beyond measure as it proved for Mr. Beard, for every day of the
balance of his life, hope and dignity- the certain knowledge that he had
clung to life, fought the brave fight and cherished every single moment he
spent in our home with his beloved daughter, proving once again that depth
is a better measurement of life than length,” says Mr. Payne at the
commencement address delivered to the graduates of the Medical College of
Georgia in summer of 1998.
The Payne’s noted that the “simple acts of kindness” Mr. Beard received at MCG and from his total family of caregivers meant so much to them during Mr. Beard’s illness. The Payne’s recalled that Dr. Tedesco visited Mr. Beard’s hospital room twice every day for almost two months, and Dr. Williams phoned for daily updates even after he moved from MCG to Johns Hopkins. Such compassion meant the world to the Payne’s, and the John F. Beard Award is intended to encourage such selfless and altruism in future generations of health care providers, “Life’s greatest rewards, “ says Mr. Payne, “are reserved for those who bring joy to the lives of others.”
Mrs.
Martha Beard Payne and Mr. William Porter "Billy" Payne
Mr. and Mrs. William Porter Payne annually contribute $25,000 to the John F. Beard Award in memory of Mrs. Payne's father, John F. Beard. The award goes to a graduating student in the Schools of Allied Health Sciences, Medicine, or Nursing who exhibits extraordinary compassion.
Eligibility
The $25,000 John F. Beard Award is given annually to the Medical College of Georgia graduating student in the School of Allied health Sciences, Medicine, or Nursing who exhibits extraordinary compassion. This compassion may have been demonstrated in school service or simply during the course of the recipient’s every day life. The recipient’s actions and values indicate that compassion and selflessness will be the cornerstone of his or her approach to a health care career.
The annual recipient of the John F. Beard award will be selected by a special faculty committee of the Academic Council appointed by the President of MCG in response to nominations submitted by students, faculty members, and /or patients.
The award is given without regard to academic standing, race, religion, sex, age, handicap or national origin.
Recipients of the John F. Beard Award
- 2008 Winston Wang, B.S.N.
- 2007 Glen Iannucci, M.D.
- 2006 John Piede, M.D.
- 2005 Lorena D. Narvaez, P.A.
- 2004 Perry Elizabeth Sheffield, M.D.
- 2003 Angela G. Moon, B.S.
- 2002 Kelly Elizabeth Knowles, M.D.
- 2001 Lori J. Burton, B.S.N.
- 2000 Angela R. Moore, B.S.
- 1999 Mark A. Daniel, B.S.
- 1998 Tywaun K. Tillman, M.D.
Additional Information
- John F. Beard's Life
- Award Criteria
- Nomination Form (pdf) from faculty and patients
- Student Nomination Form (pdf) from classmates
Support the John F. Beard Award or create a similar award
Contact Vice President of University Advancement
R. Bryan Ginn Jr.,
bginn@mcg.edu, at 706- 721-4413