It was in gratitude for such care, and particularly for Dr. Robert Rosenwasser’s leading role, that the Fields endowed the Joseph and Marie Field Laboratory for Cerebrovascular Research in hopes of contributing to medical breakthroughs of the future, and they are thrilled that under Dr. Rosenwasser’s direction the Laboratory has made giant strides forward in pursuit of a cure for strokes.

Marie and Joseph Field are deeply honored to receive Jefferson’s Award of Merit and are keenly aware that they have been the beneficiaries of extraordinary life saving care provided by Jefferson.

While Marie and Joe share a passion for music and literature they are also committed to humanitarian projects. They are founding benefactors of the Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice and Research at the University of Pennsylvania, dedicated to helping better the lives of abused and neglected children by making systemic changes in the administration of child welfare. They have also established an Emergency Relief Fund at the International Rescue Committee to assist that organization in achieving rapid response to humanitarian crises.

Joe, a native Philadelphian, is a graduate of Central High School, the University of Pennsylvania and Yale Law School. He is chairman and founder of Entercom Communications Corp. His current and recent board memberships include the Philadelphia Orchestra Association, Curtis Institute of Music, Mary Louise Curtis Bok Foundation, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Settlement Music School, National Association of Broadcasters, Broadcasters Foundation of America, National Liberty Museum, American Interfaith Institute and the Board of Advisers of the Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice and Research. Joe continues to pursue his love of music and the violin, playing chamber music and performing in an amateur capacity as a soloist with members of the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia.

Marie, a retired teacher, grew up in New York City and is a graduate of Barnard College. She has served on the boards of the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, Project Forward Leap and Singing City and is presently a member of the Board of Overseers of Penn’s School of Social Policy and Practice, the Board of Advisors of the Field Center at Penn, and the Board of Directors of the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation, where she is serving as chairperson for the Library’s One Book, One Philadelphia project for the seventh consecutive year.

The Fields are recipients of honorary awards from the Philadelphia Orchestra Association, the Philadelphia Art Alliance and the Field Center at the University of Pennsylvania, and Joe has been honored with a Pioneers Award from the Broadcasters Foundation of America and a Doctor of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music.

Joe and Marie appreciate the many opportunities they have had to serve their community, and strive to “make a difference” where they can, but their greatest personal pleasure and satisfaction comes from their family, which is paramount in their lives and consists of two children, now four by marriage, David and Jaimie and Nancy and Michael, and six grandchildren, Samantha, Drew, Will, Lily, Jon and Emma.