Dr. John M. De Pasquale’s (M.P.H. ’07) professional legacy lives in the scores of patients he’s treated as a pediatrician in the U.S. and as a volunteer clinician and field epidemiologist in developing nations, including Haiti, Peru, Tanzania and Togo. When he decided to plan for his financial legacy, De Pasquale knew Georgia State University was the best institution and had the right students to invest in.
De Pasquale committed in 2021 to donating investments totaling $1.36 million to the School of Public Health at Georgia State. It’s the largest philanthropic commitment made by an individual to the School of Public Health and the first planned gift made to the school.
“With its emphasis on solving domestic, urban public health issues and the diversity of its students, the School of Public Health at Georgia State is where I feel my money can make the biggest impact,” said De Pasquale. “We’re seeing now the importance of effective public health messaging and communications. Diverse public health professionals, like those educated at Georgia State, will be increasingly essential to the successful management and communication of public health challenges.”
De Pasquale was a clinical pediatrician for 15 years prior to entering Georgia State’s Master of Public Health program in 2005. He decided to become a public health professional after years of working domestically and internationally and realizing there was a need for people who could provide care at the community level.
As part of the Georgia State University Foundation’s The Legacy Challenge, the foundation provided $10,000 in matching funds to a program selected by De Pasquale. Extensive experience working internationally influenced De Pasquale’s decision to direct his Legacy Challenge funds to the School of Public Health Field Immersion Endowed Fund. This fund will provide experiential opportunities for students focusing on international research, study abroad programs and internships for the development of professional public health skills.
“Student experiences during their practicum or internship are so important and I was only able to afford to do mine internationally because I had been a clinical physician for 15 years,” said De Pasquale. “The matching funds that allow me to help students while they pursue invaluable overseas practicums is the cherry on top of my overall gift, which I hope will help support the School of Public Health over the long haul and impact generations of students.”