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This version of NSU News has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of NSU News, visit news.nova.edu.
This version of SharkBytes has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of SharkBytes, visit sharkbytes.nova.edu.
Ronnie Oller Receives Medical School Child Advocacy Award
Ronnie Oller
On September 28, the College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Pediatrics Club honored Ronnie Oller with the Arnold Melnick Child Advocacy Award for her contributions to the health and welfare of the children of Southern Florida.
Oller, who has dedicated her life to children’s causes, has spent the past eight years organizing the university’s annual A Day for Children, which is a free event held each September that features speech, medical, dental, behavior, and vision screenings for South Florida children. Since Oller took over the event’s organization, attendance has exploded to over 12,000 children and parents and now includes over 100 organizations that provide youth-oriented services.
As the mother of four and grandmother of five, she possesses a concern for children that is deeply heartfelt. Raised by her grandfather, Oller grew up in very difficult circumstances and can’t bear the idea that any child might lack the essentials to reach full potential. “That’s my whole thing─children─ and making sure they receive all the basic needs such as health care, nutrition, and education. This award stands for what is most important to me: our children.”
Working closely with her husband, Robert Oller, D.O., CEO of NSU’s Division of Clinical Operations, she has tirelessly personified the mission of community service on which the university prides itself. In 1997, she chaired the first independent fund-raiser for diabetes, raising $97,000 for research. Her commitment to South Florida’s younger population is evidenced by her involvement as a board member for the following organizations: Prestige Club, Susan B. Anthony Recovery Center, Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County as well as NSU’s Mailman Segal Center for Human Development and Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Most recently, she was elected president of the Davie Boys and Girls Club.