Cooper’s Anthony Welch presents the award to Rutgers-Camden student Shaan Mody
Shaan Mody, a senior biology major at Rutgers University–Camden, has been named the recipient of the 2025 Cooper Civic Leadership Award. The award, presented at a recent student ceremony on the Rutgers–Camden campus, honors a student who exemplifies outstanding civic leadership and service to the Camden community.
Established in 2018, the Cooper Civic Leadership Award celebrates students whose work reflects a deep commitment to community engagement and transformative change. Mody, an honors student and aspiring osteopathic physician, has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to addressing systemic disparities and improving community well-being.
As founder and chair of the Rutgers-Camden Student Wellness Center’s Advisory Board, Mody has led initiatives to enhance the physical, mental, and social wellness of more than 6,000 students. His leadership has been pivotal in advocating for menstrual equity on campus, including legislative collaboration with New Jersey Assemblywoman Andrea Katz to increase access to menstrual products in higher education institutions statewide.
Mody also co-founded Caring for Camden, a grassroots initiative addressing homelessness and health inequities. Through this effort, he has organized food, hygiene, and clothing drives, partnered with local schools, and fostered citywide collaboration. His academic research further reflects his service-driven mission, from a study resulting in more than 20 campus infrastructure improvements to a statewide project on water pollution’s impact on communities.
Currently vice president of the Rutgers-Camden Student Governing Association, Mody has championed disability accommodations, improved student housing, and launched the university’s first Pre-Health Committee. As an EMT and volunteer leader, he also manages the New Jersey Vrajdham Health Fair, expanding health care access for more than 300 individuals annually.
“Shaan Mody’s extraordinary leadership and unwavering commitment to civic engagement exemplify the very spirit of this award,” said Anthony Welch, vice president of government and community relations at Cooper University Health Care, who presented the award. “He’s not only making a difference here in Camden, but setting a standard for what it means to serve with compassion, purpose, and vision.”
About Cooper University Health Care
Cooper University Health Care is a leading academic health system affiliated with Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. Cooper, headquartered in Camden, New Jersey, has revenues of more than $2.4 billion and an A+ credit rating from Fitch Ratings.
Cooper has more than 11,000 team members, including nearly 1,600 nurses, more than 1,000 employed physicians representing 95 specialties and subspecialties, and more than 600 advanced practice professionals.
Cooper operates MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper as well as three hospitals – its 663-bed flagship Cooper University Hospital in Camden, its 229-bed Cooper University Hospital Cape Regional in Cape May Courthouse, and Children’s Regional Hospital also in Camden.
Cooper University Hospital in Camden is the only Level 1 trauma center in South Jersey and the busiest in the region. The hospital has been recognized as a top-performing regional hospital by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals annual survey for six years.
More than 2.4 million patients visit Cooper’s facilities annually. Cooper’s ambulatory network encompasses three outpatient surgery centers, several urgent care centers, a wound care center, and more than 130 physician, physical therapy, and radiology offices extending from the Delaware River to the New Jersey shore.
Cooper was named one of America’s Best Large Employers for 2025 by Forbes, ranking among the top 200 in the nation.
Visit CooperHealth.org to learn more.
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