UAB receives $1.25 million pledge from Civitan International

From left to right is Dean of the UAB Heersink School of Medicine, Anupam Agarwal, M.D., the Director of Civitan International Research Center (CIRC) Craig Powell, M.D, Ph.D., the Associate Director of the CIRC, Cassandra Newsom, Psy.D., Civitan International Past International President (2023-2024) and local Birmingham lawyer Dee Hutsler and Civitan International Executive Vice President, Mark Eisinger.
Photo by Mike StrawnCivitan International, a global service organization dedicated to serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, recently announced a $1.25 million pledge to the Civitan International Research Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. This significant commitment will be spread over the next five years to support pioneering research efforts.

"We are beyond excited to make this announcement with fellow Civitans, researchers and other leaders present to continue our organization's commitment to the groundbreaking research happening on UAB's campus," said Mark Eisinger, executive vice president of Civitan International.

In the late 1980s, Civitan International conducted a nationwide search for a partner that would share its vision of assisting individuals with developmental disabilities. A small group of faculty collaborated to submit an application on behalf of UAB. With Civitan International's distinguished record of public service focusing on assisting individuals with developmental disabilities and with UAB's record of exceptional achievement and contributions to the improvement of human health and welfare, the UAB proposal was selected. A partnership was formed in 1989, and the Civitan International Research Center for neurodevelopmental disorders was established at UAB.

"Civitan International and its members around the country and around the globe have been instrumental in the establishment of the research center here on the UAB campus that bears their name," said Craig Powell, M.D., Ph.D., Virginia B. Spencer Endowed Chair in the UAB Department of Neurobiology and director of the UAB Civitan International Research Center. "Their support has provided care for children and their families, as well as groundbreaking research aimed at identifying novel therapies for developmental disorders. Our goal is to continue working together to make a difference in the lives of patients and their families every day."