Purpose

The University of Minnesota School of Public Health strives to improve the health and wellbeing of populations at the local, national, and global levels. The SPH therefore seeks to honor faculty who make an exceptional impact on health equity and community wellbeing through their focus on policy, intervention, relationship building, or community engagement.

The Award

Recipient’s achievements will be commemorated with a plaque, a permanent display in the school’s administrative offices, and a cash award of $1,500. No more than one award will be given in any single year. The award will be presented at the annual School of Public Health Faculty and Staff Recognition Celebration.

Eligibility

School of Public Health faculty on either a 9-month, 12-month, or adjunct appointment are eligible. Previous recipients of the award are also eligible to be nominated in subsequent years for additional achievements.

Nominator

To nominate someone for this award, you must be a member of the School of Public Health faculty, staff, or student body.

Evaluation Criteria

The award for Outstanding Health Equity Impact will be based on evidence that a faculty member’s work has had a significant impact on health equity or community wellbeing. The impact can be a single instance or collective impact over time. The award is intended to recognize impact at the local, national, or global level.

“Impact” will be broadly defined. Examples of impact may include, but are not limited to:

• Demonstrating a high level of commitment to diversity in service, teaching, and scholarship; 
• Demonstrably improving the health of oppressed populations through the application of one’s research, or through one’s community service;
• Changing the way that public health or health services are practiced or delivered through the influence of one’s research;
• Directly or indirectly influencing policy changes that can improve the public’s health;
• Directing work that is may be research and also has aspects providing significant public health benefits (education, health assistance, health care access, etc.) to the participants and the community.

Nomination Process

Annual awards nominations for the 2024-2025 academic year should be submitted through the online nomination form. The submission deadline is April 4, 2025.

Nominations must include the following documentation:

• A letter of nomination of no more than three pages in length. The letter should advocate the case for the award and address the impact that the faculty member has had, and what their role was in establishing that impact.
• Up to three letters in support of the nomination of which at least one must be provided by members of the public directly affected by the faculty member’s activities.
  • From 2021 onward, no letters of support beyond the letter of nomination are required. Any additional letters of support you wish to submit are optional.
• The nominee’s curriculum vitae and other material illustrating the public health impact for which the candidate is nominated.

To facilitate evaluation, please have one person act as the primary nominator, compiling all of the letters of support and other material prior to submitting online for the review committee.

Students acting as primary nominators are strongly encouraged to discuss the nomination with the division head, an SPH faculty member, or division assistant/administrator for assistance in documenting service achievement and gathering the nominee’s CV to complete the nomination packet.

Excerpts from award recipient’s nomination letters may be read at the awards ceremony. Following the ceremony, the winner will receive a complete copy of the nomination submission.

Previous Recipients