HOPE Luncheon

nicole3711
Nov 17
3 min read

On March 11, 2025, Specialist in Global Health welcomed dear friends and colleagues to the launch of the Hope Endowed Fellowship luncheon, named in the honor of Robert ‘Chip’ Schooley and Constance Benson, for their extraordinary contribution to global health.

The Hope Endowment Fellowship Fund supports specialist training in Low-and Middle-Income Countries.

This event was held at the historically beautiful Palace Hotel in San Francisco, CA.

Guests enjoyed an appetizer and beverage reception, along with a lovely luncheon inside the beautiful French Parlor overlooking the historic and simply gorgeous, Garden Court.

Through the Hope Endowment Fellowship Fund, Specialists in Global Health seeks to enable aspirant healthcare specialists to receive the training they need to excel in their respective fields. As funds exist into perpetuity, investors can rest assured that their contribution will continue to support specialist training in Low- and Middle-Income Countries for generations to come.

Over 35 friends and colleagues were in attendance where they were presented with the goals, aspirations and accomplishments of the Specialists in Global Health foundation along with welcoming in of the Hope Endowment Fellowship Fund.

Hope Endowment Fellowship Honorees; Robert (Chip) Schooley and Constance Benson.

Quote from Professor Jorge Ferrão, the Rector of the Universidade Pedagogica de Moçambique, and also the Chair of the General Assembly of MIHER:

“Over the years we have been working very closely with Professor Robert and Schooly and Benson. This has been a very fruitful experience and fruitful relationship. We have learned so much from them to the extent that we consider them Mozambicans. Mozambique is still dealing with various health challenges, including infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and cholera as well as emerging non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Therefore, well trained doctors are crucial in tackling both the prevention and treatment of those diseases.”

Dr. Schooley is Head of the Division of Infectious Diseases and Vice Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. His research interests are in viral pathogenesis and therapy. He was heavily involved with the development of antiretroviral chemotherapeutic agents from the initial randomized study of zidovudine through the modern era. In this context, he has had experience in the clinical practice, design and conduct of multiple clinical trials in diverse populations in both the US and abroad. He served as Principal Investigator and Chair of the NIAID’s AIDS Clinical Trials Group from 1995-2002. He helped establish the ACTG international program, served as the International Program Liaison for the EC, and continues his work developing new point-of-care low-cost diagnostics, and ART strategies for resource-limited international settings. Dr. Schooley is UCSD chair of the Medical Education Partnership Initiative collaboration with University of Mondlane University in Maputo, Mozambique. He has been involved in the clinical and research training of medical infectious disease specialists globally for 30 years.

Constance A. Benson, M.D. is a Professor of Medicine and Global Public Health, Senior Attending Physician, and the Vice Chair for Education and ID Training Program Director for the Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health at University of California, San Diego. She is also the Director of the UCSD Antiviral Research Unit, the Principal Investigator of the UCSD CD4 Collaborative HIV Clinical Trials Unit and the Clinical Research Site Leader for the UCSD AVRC HIV Clinical Research Site. Dr. Benson is an internationally recognized researcher and clinician working in the fields of HIV and TB clinical and translational investigation since 1984. Her contributions to the field of HIV/AIDS are numerous. To date, she has published more than 225 original manuscripts, invited reviews, and book chapters, mentored more than 50 trainees in their research and clinical training in ID, and maintains active clinical duties as a subspecialist in Infectious Diseases, HIV and Global Health within the UCSD Health System in San Diego.

With your support, creating more scholarships under the Hope Endowment can impact the healthcare systems of LMICs, promoting greater independence and sustainability. Together, we can build a brighter future for medical professionals and communities in LMICs.