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. With the Outstanding Faculty Health Equity Impact Award, SPH 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 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.

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.

Evaluation Criteria

The award for Outstanding Faculty 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 research, or through community service;
• Changing the way that public health or health services are practiced or delivered through the influence of research;
• Directly or indirectly influencing policy changes that can improve the public’s health.

Nomination Process

Annual awards nominations for the 2025-2026 academic year should be submitted through the online nomination form. The submission deadline is March 30, 2026.

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.
• The letter may include quotes from peers, colleagues, supervisors, administrators, students, alumni or other community members who have firsthand knowledge of the nominee’s experience.
• The nominee’s curriculum vitae (e.g., NIH or NSF Biosketch).

To facilitate evaluation, please have one person act as the primary nominator, compiling all materials prior to submitting online for the review committee.

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