Medical school names 2025-26 Global Scholar of the Year

Student Dr. Michael Dennis is the Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine (CUSOM) 2025-26 Global Scholar of the Year.

Dennis, of Fayetteville, is a third-year med student and a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army National Guard Medical Corps. He also earned a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences at Campbell.

Matthew Baker, Global Scholar of the Year liaison 2025, in an email said Dennis distinguished himself through his outstanding commitment to improving healthcare access, education and outcomes for underserved populations internationally while also embracing the osteopathic philosophy of holistic, patient-centered care as a leader in our community.

"We are proud to put forward Student Dr. Dennis as our institutional representative at the national level and look forward to celebrating his accomplishments with the CUSOM community."

A commitment to community and global health, Dennis says, began through his work in vaccination sites and with other free clinics. He started working in the Campbell University Community Care Clinic (CUCCC), under the mentorship of Dr. Joe Caccioppo, when he entered the MSBS program. Caccioppo is director of Community and Global Medicine at the medical school.

He learned about Campbell's mission to serve underserved populations in rural communities and throughout the world, "which became a defining part of my medical education," Dennis said.He has taken part in five international medical missions, including two trips to Guatemala and trips to the Dominican Republic, Ghana and Sierra Leone. He has served as a team leader on three of the missions and as a lab manager for the clinics.

"These experiences reinforced the importance of culturally sensitive, community-centered care," Dennis said.

"On each mission, we worked closely with local leaders to provide medical, vision, women's health, childcare and spiritual support services while respecting cultural values and addressing both medical and social determinants of health."

Recognizing how unclear and challenging the pathway to medicine could be, especially without strong mentorship, Dennis worked to organize a community outreach initiative, which evolved into founding the Campbell Healer Collaborative. The collaborative unites nine health programs at Campbell to mentor undergraduate students, provide volunteer and skills-based opportunities, offer professional development resources and establish the Campbell Health Fair.

"Through both local service and global missions, my work has been driven by a commitment to service, mentorship and empowering communities - principles that continue to shape my identity as a future physician," he said.

The Global Scholar Award is one among a list of accomplishments for Dennis, who was inducted into the Sigma Sigma Phi honor society at CUSOM and awarded an American Osteopathic Federation Rossnick Travel Grant, as well as a Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association Auxiliary grant.

The Global Scholar honor, he said, is special because it represents the growth and transformation he has experienced throughout his journey at Campbell.

"I entered college uncertain of my path and made the decision to pursue medicine in my junior year as an undergraduate. Today, as a third-year medical student, I can confidently say that my life and perspective have been profoundly shaped by the relationships, mentorship and experiences I have had at CUSOM.

"This award motivates me to continue serving both locally and globally as I begin my career as a physician. The experiences and relationships that shaped my path to medicine have reinforced my commitment to reaching underserved and hard-to-access communities, where access to healthcare is limited or nonexistent. This recognition encourages me to expand that mission and pursue sustainable ways to improve care beyond short-term service."

From the start, Dennis says, he felt as though the people at Campbell believed in him and supported his journey and goals, starting with the mentorship he received in the MSBS program. Guidance from those mentors, combined with Campbell's strong mission of service and dedication to community, confirmed that he found a place where he could grow as a student and as a physician.

"Campbell is special because it fosters both professional excellence and personal purpose," he said. "Through CUSOM's Global Health Department, participation in medical missions and service at the student-run Campbell University Community Care Clinic … I was given meaningful opportunities to serve locally and globally. Just as important, the people at CUSOM consistently showed confidence in my potential and worked tirelessly to prepare me for the future.

"Being close to my family further strengthened my connection to Campbell," he says, "grounding me during the challenges of medical training. The faculty, staff and community here have shaped who I am today and made it possible for me to create lasting impact both at home and abroad. That sense of belonging and shared purpose is what truly makes Campbell special to me."

An aspiration for Dennis is helping to train and empower future nurses and physicians in underserved communities while reinforcing the idea that access to healthcare can be lasting, and not just temporary.

"I hope to follow in the footsteps of the mentors and leaders who paved the way for me, particularly the Global Health team at CUSOM, whose example has inspired me to live a life rooted in service, humility, and faith.

"Above all, this award reminds me that medicine is not only about treating disease, but about building trust, understanding patients within their cultural and personal contexts, and allowing compassion to be as impactful as clinical skill. Carrying these lessons forward will guide the kind of physician I strive to become."

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