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. 

The 2025 MLK Semester of Service Student Award projects are: 

Eye Care in Worcester
T.H. Chan School of Medicine students Uma Agrawal, Kenny Huang and Joe Matte.

Project description: The proposal seeks to expand eye care services through Eye Care Worcester, offering free monthly eye exams at the Epworth Free Medical Program.

Community partner: Worcester Free Care Collaborative

Increasing Digital Health Literacy among the Non-English-Speaking Population of Central Massachusetts
T.H. Chan School of Medicine students Vivien Tran and Ada Zhu

Project description: This initiative addresses technological and language barriers for non-English speaking and elderly patients in Central Massachusetts.

Community partner: Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts

Improving Pediatric Nutrition Education and Accessibility in Worcester
T.H. Chan School of Medicine MD/PhD student Jillian Belgrad, and medical students Pamela Chan and Owen Glogovsky

Project description: This initiative focuses on pediatric nutrition, offering monthly sessions with hands-on demos, educational materials and resources on healthy eating and affordable food access.

Community partner: Marie’s Mission

DEI in Dermatology: Educational Outreach
T.H. Chan School of Medicine students Harman Bindra, Hanna Englander, Claudia Hyun, Harlene Kaur, Milan Rosen, Ingie Sorour, Ryan Thai and Yuying Zhang

Project description: This initiative focuses on addressing resource disparities and supporting students facing barriers to higher education and careers in medicine using a three-pronged approach to bridge gaps in early career exposure and mentorship; community collaboration; and equitable access and resource allocation.

Community partners: Quinsigamond Community College, Bruce Wells Scholars Upward Bound, Dynamy John S. Laws Youth Academy