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Awards

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

The Chancellor’s Award for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion is bestowed upon an individual or group exemplifying UMass Chan Medical School's diversity and inclusion values:

Diversity is inherent in UMass Chan'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, nurses and scientists to serve and relate to a multicultural society by:

Building an inclusive culture characterized by anti-racist and inclusive policies and processes across UMass Chan.
Increasing access and equity within recruitment, retention, and advancement of underrepresented groups.
Improving the cultural competence and empathy of our workforce through diversity education and programming.
Advancing health equity by making a significant impact on reducing disparities
through research, service and practice.

Download nomination form here.

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 14^th 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 Medical School, 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 for Community and Government Relations.

Proposals for the 2024 awards are due by midnight on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. Winners will be announced on UMass Chan News on MLK Day and recognized by the Dean and Chancellor at the Medical School's annual MLK Day celebration on Jan. 31, 2024. 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 in with 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 2024 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 Che Anderson, co-chairs of the CEOD Service sub-committee.

Please submit an application containing all of the items specified below.

Student name(s), school, class; please identify one primary student contact with name, email and phone. Note that the funds will be distributed to this person.
Community-based organization name(s), contact name, email and phone
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 Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. Late proposals will not be considered.

What is expected of students who receive Student 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.

2023 winners

Seeing Eye to Eye: Enhancing access to interprofessional care at Wesley Eye clinic - To expand Worcester community members’ access to free eye screening by engaging UMass Chan Medical School students, ophthalmology residents and attendings to volunteer at the Wesley Eye clinic.
Students: Jessica Eskander, T.H. Chan School of Medicine 24, Claire Meyerovitz, T.H. Chan School of Medicine 23, and Danielle Heims-Waldron, T.H. Chan School of Medicine 24.
Breaking Medical Barriers thru Advocacy for Worcester Survivors - To pair medical and nursing students with survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation to act as liaisons for medical care and health care provider appointments. Student: Stevie Yan, T.H. Chan School of Medicine 2024, Evelyn Semenov, T.H. Chan School of Medicine 2023, Rosemary Cobb, T.H. Chan School of Medicine 2025, Shivi Maheswaran, T.H. Chan School of Medicine 2023, Ana-Maria Poole, T.H. Chan School of Medicine 2026, and Ariana Fantakis Ettorre, T.H. Chan School of Medicine 2026
Implementing shade for a Brighter Future - To collaborate with Worcester Public Schools and the City of Worcester’s Urban Forestry team to host and facilitate educational sessions on the hazards of heat islands, and to host an annual hands-on tree planting event for the Worcester community.
Students: Max Kinne, T.H. Chan School of Medicine 25, Ryan Chen, T.H. Chan School of Medicine 25, Adrienne Conza, T.H. Chan School of Medicine 26, Yuying Zhang, T.H. Chan School of Medicine 26, and Christopher Fay,T.H. Chan School of Medicine 23.
Bridging the Gap of Access to Dermatologic Care in Patients Experiencing Homelessness - To provide free skin cancer screening and dermatology consultation services in homeless shelters and through free clinic events in the city of Worcester.
Students: Stephanie Choi, T.H. Chan School of Medicine 2025, and Nicole Loranger, T.H. Chan School of Medicine 2024