During the third annual ITEACH Awards, students, student organizations, staff and faculty members were recognized for their contributions to campus, student and community life at UNMC.
The awards were presented April 17 during an event in the Wigton Heritage Center.
“Our ITEACH ceremony is dedicated to rewarding those who selflessly give time to improve the lives of others within the UNMC and surrounding communities in addition to their formal academic work,” said Heidi Keeler, PhD, assistant vice chancellor of community engagement for UNMC.
Learn more about the med center’s iTEACH values.
To highlight the impact that leadership, engagement and community partnership have on the health and lives of others, Charity Evans, MD, chief of the division of acute care surgery, and Ashley Farrens, trauma program manager at Nebraska Medicine, shared their work with Dusk to Dawn and ENCOMPASS Omaha, hospital-based violence prevention programs launched in 2017 and 2020, respectively.
“We could not have a better example of dedicated service and action that highlights UNMC’s commitment to the greater community and our ITEACH values,” Dr. Keeler said to Dr. Evans and Farrens following their presentation.
The following awards were presented to individuals and organizations:
Office of Community Engagement Awards
Community Impact Awards recognize student organizations that extend UNMC’s core values through creation of health care initiatives that are impactful and sustainable in the community:
- Harm Reduction Advocates – Gold Award
- Healthy Earth Alliance (HEAL) – Silver Award
- Asian American and Pacific Islander Student Association – Bronze Award
Faculty Advisor Excellence in Engagement Award recognizes excellence in community engagement by UNMC faculty and provides exceptional service to students, their colleagues and/or UNMC.
- Melonie Welsh, Munroe-Meyer Institute
Staff Excellence in Engagement Award recognizes excellence in community engagement by UNMC staff and provides exceptional service to students, their colleagues and/or UNMC:
- Shalea Cotton, DNP, UNMC College of Nursing and staff for the North Omaha Area Clinic – Gold Award
- Kelsey Scroggin, UNMC Strategic Communications – Silver Award
- Fareha Razvi, PhD, UNMC Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology – Bronze Award
Community Partner Award recognizes a community organization that extends UNMC core values through the creation of impactful and sustainable health care initiatives in the community.
- Project Everlast
SLIDO (Student Life, Inclusion and Diversity Office) Awards
Advisor of the Year Award recognizes individuals who oversee a recognized student organization.
- Christopher Kratochvil, MD, and Anne Bowen Fischer, advisors for UNMC Student Delegates
- Howard Liu, MD, advisor for the AAPI Student Association
Collaboration Award recognizes an organization that has successfully worked to sponsor or host an event, program or act of service that has benefited the UNMC campus community.
- Harm Reduction Advocates – Gold Award
- International Student Association – Silver Award
- AAPI Student Association – Bronze Award
Diversity and Inclusion Award recognizes a group that promoted and fostered a cross-cultural learning environment by creating an initiative or program that significantly impacted the campus community.
- International Student Association – Gold Award
- AAPI Student Association – Silver Award
Student Senate Awards
Student Impact Award recognizes students who embody leadership qualities and provide a positive influence on the education and overall experience of UNMC students.
- Anh Tran – UNMC College of Pharmacy
- Gisselle Perez – UNMC College of Dentistry
- Liam Diesing – UNMC College of Allied Health Professions
- Nicholas Bohannon – UNMC College of Medicine
- Mamello Makhele – UNMC College of Public Health
- Alaina Larson – UNMC Graduate Studies
Distinguished Mentor Award recognizes a full or part-time faculty member who serves as a role model to students, demonstrating high professional and ethical standards.
- Rebecca Oberley-Deegan, PhD, UNMC Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine
Distinguished Teacher Award recognizes a full or part-time faculty member who goes above and beyond to provide excellent education to students.
- James Dong, PhD, UNMC Department of Biostatistics and Division of Nephrology, College of Public Health
Congratulations to Melonie Welsh and all award recipients for making a difference at UNMC!
Shoutout to Kelsey Scroggin for all she does for UNMC through her work in Strategic Communications and EPP…and kudos to all the iTEACH honorees!
Congratulations Dr. Dong! Well deserved!
Such well-deserved recognition for all awardees. Special kudos to Kelsey Scroggin in Strategic Communications for all of the work she does for EPP, our department and the entire campus community!
Congratulations, James (Dr Dong)! Way to go.