Pittsburgh-Marquette Challenge.

The Shields-Goldstein session is part of the kickoff for the 2007 Pittsburgh-Marquette Challenge. In its 19th year, the Challenge is a grassroots fundraising effort coordinated and carried out by physical therapy students. The funds raised have been used to support clinical research grants made through the Foundation. Due to the students' great success last year, the funds also will provide for a Promotion of Doctoral Studies (PODS) scholarship.

Students who pledge at Conclave to participate in this year's Challenge will be eligible to win exciting raffle prizes, including a Total Gym, in addition to the honor of having their school named among the top fund-raisers.

Last year's students from 51 schools raised a record-breaking $133,617. The University of Pittsburgh was the top fundraiser with $17,810. Indiana University, in its second year participating, placed second by raising $13,626, a huge $12,053 increase over its earnings the prior year. Third place winner was Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, which raised $10,000, more than doubling its contribution from the previous year.

A record number of schools--17 in all--placed as Honorable Mention winners, raising at least $2,000 each. Two of those schools, the University of Maryland-Baltimore and the University of Miami, narrowly missed a third place standing, raising just under $10,000. Other Honorable Mention winners included: Arcadia University, Boston University-Sargent College, Emory University, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Northwestern University, Quinnipiac University, Stony Brook University, Temple University, University of Colorado, University of Delaware, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, University of North Carolina, University of Southern California, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Washington University in St Louis.

Congratulations and thanks to all 51 participating schools! Will your school join the Challenge this year?