Skip to main content

The Spirit of the Season

Last night when we gathered in the Hume library amidst a glowing fireplace, dimmed lights, and holiday decorations, the spirit of Christmas met the spirit of Saint David's as alumni and alumni parents joined with our faculty for a joyous evening.

We were there not only to celebrate the Season and each other's presence in our lives but also to recognize and honor Dr. Alberto Acosta, Class of 1971, as Alumnus of the Year, for his many contributions to the life of the school.

Alumni Council Chair from 2011-2013, Alberto has been an incredible force in taking our alumni to another level through his stewardship and ability to bring together people who love Saint David's.

Accepting the award, Alberto spoke of the importance of Saint David's in his life: how the school fostered a love of learning and the ability to think in an analytical and creative fashion. He also spoke of the school's values, its emphasis on the importance of doing the right thing, community service, and living with integrity, honesty, and commitment.

Alberto expressed his gratitude to Saint David's. The school, in turn, is grateful to Alberto and all of our alumni who take the message of Saint David's and live it each day of their lives.
We have much to be thankful for and to celebrate this Christmas.

Noted below are the remarks given by Sam Samuels, '84, Alumni Council President in recognition of Alberto's accomplishments:


Alberto M. Acosta, M.D. Ph.D.



Alberto Acosta graduated from Saint David’s in 1971 and was the first Saint David’s graduate to attend Regis High School.  He successfully completed and graduated from Regis in 3 years for the first time in the history of the school.  He then attended Columbia College where he double majored in Biology and Art History and was named a Shapiro Life Sciences Scholar.  Alberto completed a combined M.D. - Ph.D. program at the Cornell University Medical College.  His graduate work focused on defining the autoimmune basis of the heart damage seen in Chagas’ Disease or American Trypanosomiasis.  Chagas’ Disease is predominantly a disease of the poor and underserved in rural areas of Latin America where it is a significant public health concern affecting between 30 and 45 million individuals.  Alberto received several national awards for his research. 
 

Alberto went on to complete an Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine and subsequently a research fellowship in Immunopathology.at The New York-Presbyterian Hospital. 



In 1989, in response to the expanding HIV/AIDS epidemic, The New York-Presbyterian Hospital established the Center for Special Studies which was one of the first comprehensive HIV/AIDS treatment centers in the U.S.  Alberto was recruited to be one of the initial physicians and served as the center’s Associate Director.  He continued to volunteer at the center for several years.

    

Alberto currently serves as the Executive Director for Medical Services for Ingersoll-Rand Company, a leading diversified industrial company.  In this position, Alberto coordinates with and counsels the company’s senior human resources and environmental safety and health leaders, and is responsible for designing and administering several health benefits programs for the company’s 45,000 employees worldwide. 



In addition to his role at Ingersoll Rand, Alberto maintains a private practice in Internal Medicine, and Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, and is the Medical Director of Traveler’s Medical Service, a pre-travel health clinic, both in New York City.  He serves as a clinical consultant for several global companies.  Alberto is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Weill School of Medicine of Cornell University and an Assistant Attending Physician at The New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Alberto was elected by his peers to the Best Doctors in America list initially in 2007 and has been re-elected annually since then. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NE Patriot Tom Brady at Saint David’s

Last night, Saint David’s was honored to have one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, four time Superbowl champion and three-time MVP winner Tom Brady, as the guest speaker for our Alumni Parents Council Lecture Series. Tom, who is the father of one of our Saint David's boys, addressed a standing-room-only audience in Hyman Hall comprised of our eighth graders, alumni, alumni parents and faculty. Friendly, introspective, witty, and wise, he directed his talk to the delighted eighth graders in the front of the room, and focused on the topic of leadership. “You are the young men and leaders of Saint David’s,” he noted. Tom debunked the perception that leaders are born not made, and credited his leadership abilities to “standing up to and facing fears” and to “cultivating a mental strength,” which he cited as “more important than being physically strong.” He also stressed the importance of working hard, honoring teamwork, believing in oneself and being a good lis...
Post a Comment
Read more

"Lord of the Flies" Survival Game

Seventh graders are immersed in an "island survival" adventure related to their study of William Golding's 1954 classic Lord of the Flies . The novel tells the story of a group of school-age boys marooned on an uninhabited island, where they struggle to survive without a government or rules. In this creative, unique activity that spans 10 class sessions, our boys are assigned to belong to one of two "tribes." Using knowledge gained from history classes in the fall, they first determine what type of government system to adopt. During the simulations, they strategize methods to overcome obstacles and acquire resources such as wood, food, shelter, and water. The simulation requires the boys to negotiate, debate, and reflect critically on their decisions as they face challenges to their survival. In journals, they regularly write about their thinking, their decisions and consequences. Writing skills are further developed and honed. In addition to analy...
Post a Comment
Read more

Digital Universe Unit With AMNH-Hayden Planetarium Kicks Off

The second year of our unique partnership with the American Museum of Natural History-Hayden Planetarium kicked off on Friday when the sixth grade had their first session of the Digital Universe unit. The session included a private viewing at the planetarium in which boys were able to explore the entire universe. They and their teachers were invited to view the show from the vantage point of the floor in the center of the round theater, staring up into the apex of the dome. What an amazing perspective! Museum educator and astro-visualization expert Nathan Belomy took the boys on a tour of the observable universe, allowing them to get a feel for the scale of distance and size in the universe. In a fun activity related to scale, the boys set down  a volleyball (representing the sun) at 79th Street, and walked for blocks down Columbus avenue with the planets in our solar system represented by a variety of smaller objects – a cupcake sprinkle, a marble – predicting and then m...
Post a Comment
Read more