Help Penny Rebuild a New Life

IHSD is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Penny Jessop. At her request, Dr. David Hotchkiss, Chair of IHSD, will collect the funds and transfer 100% of what is raised to Penny.

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On September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall directly over Penny's house in Fort Myers, FL, destroying the building and its contents. Because Penny was outside the flood zone, she didn’t have flood insurance and lost almost everything. She and her sister Karen have relocated to Virginia Beach to be near family. Penny has started the long road to rebuilding a new life there. Her resilience is legendary, but she could use a little help from her friends.

For hundreds of graduate students who passed through the Department of International Health and Development at Tulane SPHTM, Penny Jessop represented the heart and soul of the department. After completing Peace Corps in Niger, Penny earned an MPH at Tulane in 1977, and she was immediately recruited to join Tulane’s staff. When the Department of International Health and Development was created in 1984, Penny took on the role of Academic Program Coordinator. She went on to coordinate the Humphrey Fellows Programs for mid-career health professionals from other countries who came to study at Tulane. Speaking fluent French and Spanish, she was a tremendous source of comfort for newly arrived international students trying to find their way in New Orleans. She was excellent at helping with logistics, but even better as an informal life counselor. When prospective students called the department, they often talked first to Penny and as a result, opted for Tulane. Later Penny became a Clinical Assistant Professor, sharing with the next generation of students her breath of experience, before retiring in 2012. When faculty, staff, or students needed assistance, Penny was there to help.

Now it’s our turn to help Penny. Please join in showing Penny how much she meant to the Tulane community by contributing to this fund. Donations will be sent to Penny to help her settle in her new home.

Note: the 15% tip is NOT required to make a donation.

With appreciation,

The IHSD Team at Tulane