The Dinniman Together Fund at West Chester University has established the Drs. Christopher and Susan Fiorentino Award for Diversity and Sustainability in honor of the couple’s inspiring efforts to incorporate inclusive and sustainable practices in the university setting, as well as within the Chester County community.

Dr. Mian A. Jan, President of West Chester Cardiology, will be the recipient of the inaugural award during the Second Annual Senator Andy Dinniman Community Gathering for Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity on Saturday, Apr. 27, from 9:00 AM-12:00 PM, in the Sciences & Engineering Center and The Commons, located on West Chester University’s campus at 155 University Avenue, West Chester. Engaging numerous citizens in meaningful discussions about inclusion, belonging, and acceptance, the Community Gathering is open to the public free of charge.

“We are delighted to honor Drs. Christopher and Susan Fiorentino in a way that expresses our sincere gratitude for all they have done and continue to do in our community to promote issues of both diversity and sustainability,” said former State Senator Andy Dinniman, Founder of the Together Endowment. “They have left an indelible mark on all of us in Chester County.”

The recipient of the inaugural award is particularly worthy of the recognition that bears the Fiorentino name. Jan has been an active member of the Together Endowment from its inception and has supported its efforts on regional and international levels. Following the completion of his cardiology training at Temple University, Jan embarked on a fulfilling medical career that spans more than three decades. Since 1986, he has been dedicated to the practice of cardiology and his commitment to excellence has been demonstrated through his longstanding affiliations with Penn Medicine since 1997, as well as Main Line Health System since 1999.

Committed to advancing patient care and medical research, Jan has received many humanitarian awards. He has worked closely with his family on multiple efforts in his native KPK, Pakistan. He is a supporter of the Sonia Shah Foundation, which has completed a girls’ school to help educate young women. Jan has also worked to establish a widow’s training center that helps women in need become self-sufficient and provide clean water tube wells for the Village of Kangra. Currently, he is working to establish a medical clinic in the region due to limited healthcare availability in the area.

“Dr. Jan and I have worked on issues of common concern since my days as county commissioner,” said Dinniman. “In his work and life, Mian carries on the legacy of Drs. Christopher and Susan Fiorentino.”

In addition to the award presentation, the Community Gathering program will also provide a forum for citizens to share their diverse stories as a vehicle to foster increased understanding within the greater community. The various groups will report actionable outcomes.

Aided by receiving a $30,000 fellowship from the New America Foundation, Community Gathering initiative member Deb Ciamacca will preview a special video entitled The Stories of a Diverse Chester County. For the first-of-its-kind production in Chester County, Ciamacca interviewed numerous individuals in the community about what the Declaration of Independence, upon its 250^th anniversary in 2026, has meant for their lives, as well as their hopes and dreams for America.

“In addition to celebrating Drs. Christopher and Susan Fiorentino, as well as Dr. Mian A. Jan, the Community Gathering will be an opportunity for our citizens to discuss and tackle critical issues about diversity, equity, opportunity, and inclusion,” said Dinniman. “All voices are welcome.”

About The Second Annual Community Gathering & the Together Endowment

As the U.S. and Chester County prepare for the 250^th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, the Second Annual Community Gathering serves as a forum for interactive dialogue and meaningful conversation to build a more inclusive nation.  The 2024 theme is “Affirm Our Common Humanity.” The formal program will feature a film and discussion of diverse voices from several generations of individuals in and around Chester County. 

The Second Annual Senator Andy Dinniman Community Gathering for Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity is brought to Chester County by the Dinniman Together Fund: Diversity Inclusion & Equity Endowment at West Chester University (WCU). The first Community Gathering was held on the University’s campus in the spring of 2023.

The fund focuses on promoting diversity and equity through a renewed emphasis on our common humanity. More than a century following the final public speech of Frederick Douglass on the campus of West Chester State Normal School on Feb. 1, 1895, the Dinniman Together Fund continues the conversation by providing resources to support an annual gathering where the research and teaching knowledge of WCU faculty (past and present) may be shared with the greater Chester County community.

The Together Endowment is, in part, designed to build on Dr. DeBaptiste’s generosity by taking the legacy of Douglass from the campus into the greater community. Former State Senator Andrew E. Dinniman raised more than $100,000 to create the Dinniman Together Fund: Diversity Inclusion & Equity Endowment at West Chester University.

Learn more at West Chester University (WCU). West Chester University is the largest member of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, which is comprised of 10 state-owned universities within the Commonwealth of PA. Founded in 1871, West Chester University is a comprehensive public institution offering a diverse range of more than 180 academic opportunities in 40 fields of study across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels.