Dr. Prabhjot Singh, director of Arnhold Institute for Global Health and vice chairman of medicine for population health at the Mount Sinai Health System, spoke at The Pennington School on October 6, 2015, as part of the Stephen Crane Lecture Series.
Dr. Prabhjot Singh, director of Arnhold Institute for Global Health and vice chairman of medicine for population health at the Mount Sinai Health System, spoke at The Pennington School on October 6, 2015, as part of the Stephen Crane Lecture Series. A physician whose work combines systems engineering and social mobilization principles, he is also special advisor for strategy and design at the Peterson Center for Healthcare and has a medical practice in the East Harlem section of New York City. Dr. Singh, a Sikh, spoke of his encounters with prejudice, specifically following the 9/11 attacks.
Dr. Singh was physically attacked three separate times because of his appearance including two years ago when he and his younger brother were beaten by a group of twenty men in East Harlem, near where he lives and practices medicine. Dr. Singh told students how he strives to challenge prejudices and stereotypes, and he urged students also to stand up against injustices they see in the world. He also explained the long history of the Sikh tradition.
Following his lecture, Dr. Singh answered questions from the students and participated in a follow-up discussion with a section of students in the Religion in America course.
Dr. Singh’s visit was part of Pennington’s Stephen Crane Lecture Series. The Stephen Crane Lecture Series commemorates the author of “The Red Badge of Courage,” who was a student at Pennington in the 1880s and whose father was headmaster of the School from 1849 to 1858. The series invites prominent authors, artists, or public figures to speak or perform on the campus. Among the recent lecturers taking part are Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mohandas K. “Mahatma” Gandhi; Daniel R. Porterfield, president of Franklin & Marshall College; Kevin Bales, noted scholar on slavery in the world today; former U.S. Senator Rudy Boschwitz, Pennington Class of 1947; philanthropist and former NBA star Dikembe Mutombo; and French ambassador Jean-David Levitte.
The Pennington School, founded in 1838, recently celebrated its 175th anniversary. It is an independent coeducational school for students in grades 6 through 12, in both day and boarding programs. The curriculum is college preparatory, with an emphasis on individual excellence, fostering the development of the whole student through academics, athletics, community service, and the creative and performing arts.
