Awards

Chancellor’s Award for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Diversity at UMass Chan is fully embraced and fundamental to its institutional excellence.  The Chancellor’s Award for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is bestowed upon an individual or group exemplifying UMass Chan’s diversity, equity and inclusion values:  

Diversity is inherent in UMass Chan Medical School’s mission to advance the health and well-being of the people of the commonwealth and the world. As a leading academic health sciences center, we are preparing tomorrow’s physicians, nursing leaders and scientists to serve and relate to a multicultural society by:   

• Building an inclusive culture characterized by equitable and inclusive policies and processes across UMass Chan Medical School.  
• Promoting access and equity through recruitment, retention and advancement of underrepresented groups within our community.  
• Enhancing structural competence and empathy by providing robust diversity education and programming for our workforce. 
• Advancing health equity through impactful research, service and practice that serve to reduce health disparities.  

  Nomination Eligibility Criteria 

• All employees affiliated with UMass Chan for one or more years are eligible.
• Nominees must demonstrate excellence in a minimum of two of the following areas to be eligible: 
• Sustained commitment to advocating for underrepresented and marginalized groups within the institution and fostering an environment where individuals from underrepresented groups feel valued, heard and respected.  
• Successful outcomes in the recruitment and retention of faculty, staff and students from underrepresented and marginalized groups. 
• Success in mentoring or supporting individuals from underrepresented backgrounds in their academic, professional or personal development, and advocating for their retention and success within the institution.  
• Creation, revision and/or implementation of programs or practices that support diversity and inclusion at UMass Chan.
• Contributed building institutional capacity to promote diversity, equity and inclusion, such as through training programs, creating DEI committees or supporting recruitment initiatives. 
• Supporting, promoting, developing or facilitating opportunities for community members to engage in dialogues and workshops aimed at building cross-cultural competence and understanding.  
• Publication of scholarly work on health equity, community leadership and engagement, or development or enhancement of curriculum and instructional methods to ensure they are inclusive, accessible and reflective of diverse perspectives and experiences. 
• Development or implementation of innovative strategies or initiatives that have had a measurable and sustainable impact on improving diversity, equity and inclusion within the institution. 
• Visionary and insightful leadership to confront and resolve inequities and create an inclusive, engaged and fair/just work environment.
• Leveraging strategic partnerships and radical collaboration resulting in transformative products, services and solutions to eliminate health disparities.  

To nominate an individual or group, please complete the form here. The deadline for submissions is Friday, Jan. 10. 

Please reach out to diversity@umassmed.edu with any questions.  

Martin Luther King Jr. Semester of Service Student Award

UMass Chan is proud to sponsor the Martin Luther King Jr. Semester of Service Student awards for the 15th year. These awards are designed to support student-driven service projects in the communities that surround the UMass Chan campus. Students from the T.H. Chan School of Medicine, Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing and the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences are invited to submit proposals outlining community service projects they hope to undertake in the spring semester. The top four ideas will receive funding awards of $500. These awards are supported by the Diversity and Inclusion Office and the Office of Community and Government Relations. 

Proposals for the 2025 awards are due by midnight on Friday, Jan. 3. Winners will be announced during the 37th MLK Day celebration and recognized by the Dean and Chancellor on Jan. 27. Awardees will be selected by members of the Service Subcommittee of the CEOD.  

Priority will be given to projects that meet the following criteria: 

• Enhance or strengthen existing relationships with the Worcester community 
• Address both community needs and student learning objectives
• Provide opportunities for a diverse range of UMass Chan community members to work together
• Increase the number of students, staff and faculty engaged with the community
• Include opportunities for learners to reflect on their experience engaging in community centered work
• Contribute to health equity and the elimination of health disparities by addressing social determinants of health, including issues of racism, bias and discrimination 

How do I apply? 

Applicants must be current UMass Chan students in good academic and professional standing who wish to organize and run a community service project during the spring 2025 semester. Students are encouraged to partner with a local organization that is a non-profit with 501c3 or other tax-exempt status. For assistance connecting with a community partner or to learn more about the award, interested students can speak with Lynn Hernández or Chè Anderson, co-chairs of the CEOD Service sub-committee. 

Please submit an application containing all the items specified below. 

Student name(s), school(s), class(es); please identify one student as the primary contact by providing name, email address and phone number. Note that the funds will be distributed to this person. 

Community-based organization name(s), contact name, email address and phone number 

Narrative (no more than three pages) that includes: 

• Project overview
• Explanation of community needs/assets being addressed
• Student learning objectives
• Proposed activities and timeline
• Description of target audience and participants
• Plan for recruiting and training of participants
• Plan for reflection and evaluation of results
• Budget narrative – detail how money will be spent 

How do I submit my proposal? 

Email completed proposals to the Diversity and Inclusion Office. 

What is the deadline? 

All proposals are due by midnight on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Late proposals will not be considered. 

What is expected of students who receive these awards? 

All students who receive an award are expected to plan and execute a community service project during the spring semester. All materials created in the execution of the project should bear the UMass Chan logo. A brief final report documenting the use of funds, number of participants, outcomes of the project and lessons to be shared with future awardees will be requested at the end of spring semester. Recipients will also be asked to submit a progress summary detailing lessons learned, and outcomes accomplished to be published in the UpNext! newsletter. 

2024 Award Recipients  

1. Empowering Wellness within Worcester’s African Communities clinic - The aim of our proposed project is to collaborate with local African restaurants and churches in Worcester to provide general health check-ups. The project's focus will encompass providing blood pressure checks, blood glucose checks, as well as education on essential health information such as healthy BMI, nutritional diets, and resources on getting vision and dental care. 
   Students: Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing student Elizabeth Osa-Agbontaen 
2. Improving Access to Immunizations for Non-English-Speaking Pediatric Patients in Worcester- To meet the urgent vaccination needs of a primarily non-English speaking patient population and improving communication with non-English speaking patients. 
   Students: T.H. Chan School of Medicine students Ariba A. Memon, Danielle Heims-Waldron, Neel Patel and Christina Nguyen; and Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing student Joshan Niroula  
3. Marie’s Mission - This non-profit community-based organization provides diapers and other health supplies to low-income families across the Worcester community. They are Worcester’s largest diaper outreach program and Massachusetts only national diaper bank, distributing thousands of diapers monthly to families who cannot otherwise afford them.
   Students: T.H. Chan School of Medicine students Jose Garcia-Chope and Fiona Splaine 
4. Growing the Worcester Islamic Center Social Services (WICSS) Clinic - To obtain phlebotomy laboratory services, physical diagnosis equipment, and medications, and continuing our flu vaccine clinic efforts. Promote cultural sensitivity and developing health education and community enrichment sessions about relevant topics for patients, and help patients address language barriers via hosting English classes and drop-in sessions, translating and printing new patient education materials. 
   Student: T.H. Chan School of Medicine student Melanie Fu