Diversity Leadership Awards

Honoring diversity champions

Diversity is critical to the process of discovery at the University of Chicago, where different viewpoints, perspectives, and experiences are not only sought after, but encouraged. The Diversity Leadership Awards recognize programs and initiatives led by academic and non-academic units that seek to further advance the University’s commitment to diversity of thought, perspective, and experience. Programs and initiatives may be led by faculty, staff, alumni, and/or students -- and should represent collaborative efforts within or across units.

How do I nominate?

The portal for the Diversity Leadership Awards 2026 is HERE. Nominations will close on Friday, January 30 at 5:00pm.

Who is eligible?

All University of Chicago and University of Chicago Medicine faculty, staff, students, alumni, divisions, and units are eligible for consideration.

Who may nominate?

We welcome all nominations, including self-nominations.

Questions?

Please contact diversity-leadership-awards@uchicago.edu.

PAST RECIPIENTS

2025 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Diversity Leadership Faculty Award

William Baude, Harry Kalven, Jr. Professor of Law and Faculty Director, Constitutional Law Institute
Judith P. Miller, Clinical Professor of Law

Diversity Leadership Staff Award
Vickie Sides
Director for Education and Outreach, Office of Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Support, and Assistant Dean of Students in the University

Diversity Leadership Alumni Award
Brian Cheng, MBA'24
CEO of Generation Hong Kong

Diversity Leadership Graduate/Professional Student Award
The African Perspective Executive Board

Emmanuel Mayani, MPP Student, Harris School of Public Policy
Judith Nguli, MPP Student, Harris School of Public Policy
Manda Bwerevu, MPP Student, Harris School of Public Policy
Bethel Onah, MPP/MBA Student, Harris School of Public Policy and Booth School of Business

Unit-Sponsored Program or Initiative

Beyond Prisons, represented by Tracye A. Matthews, Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Race, Politics, & Culture, and Alice Kim, Director of Practice, Beyond Prisons, Center for the Study of Race, Politics, & Culture
i2i Civil Discourse, represented by James Woodruff, Dean of Students, Pritzker School of Medicine

2024 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Diversity Leadership Faculty Award
Dr. Selwyn Rogers, Jr., MD, MPH, FACS
Professor of Surgery; Chief, Sector of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery; Founding Director, Trauma Center. Executive Vice President for Community Health Engagement

Diversity Leadership Staff Award
Vera Dragisich, PhD
Senior Instructional Professor in the Department of Chemistry

Diversity Leadership Alumni Award
Mary Smith JD' 91
Immediate Past President of the American Bar Association

Diversity Leadership Graduate/Professional Student Award
Alvin Gordián Arroyo, MPH, MD (expected 2025)
Pritzker School of Medicine

Diversity Leadership College Student Award
Zubin Kumar BA'24 Molecular Engineering

2023 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Diversity Leadership Faculty Award
Dr. Monica E. Peek MD, MPH, MSc
Ellen H. Block Professor of Health Justice at UChicago Medicine and Associate Vice-Chair for Research Faculty Development in the Department of Medicine

Diversity Leadership Staff Award
Tracye A. Matthews
Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture (CSRPC)

Diversity Leadership Alumni Award
Beatrice Carpenter Young, AB’60, MAT’64
Teacher, Co-Founder of The Amistad Society

Diversity Leadership Alumni Award
Roderick A. Palmore, JD’77
Senior counsel at Dentons US LLP

Diversity Leadership Graduate/Professional Student Award
Lizeth Tamayo
PhD candidate in genetic epidemiology in the Division of the Biological Sciences

Diversity Leadership College Student Award
Tyler Okeke
Fourth-year student in the College

2022 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Diversity Leadership Faculty Award
Doriane C. Miller, MD’83
Professor of Medicine at UChicago Medicine and Director of the Center for Community Health and Vitality

Diversity Leadership Staff Award
Cynthia Cook Conley
PhD Program Academic Advisor and Executive Assistant to the Deputy Deans at the Harris School of Public Policy

Diversity Leadership Alumni Award
Grace Chan McKibben, AB’90, AM’90
Executive Director of the Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community

Diversity Leadership Graduate/Professional Student Award
Radhika Santhanagopalan
PhD Student in Psychology and Business in the Division of Social Sciences and the Booth School of Business

Diversity Leadership College Student Award
Dinah Clottey
Fourth-year student in the College

2021 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Diversity Leadership Faculty Award
Anita Blanchard, MD ’90
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UChicago Medicine and Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education at the Pritzker School of Medicine

Diversity Leadership Staff Award
Jessica Jaggers
Dean of Students and Associate Dean of Student Life at the Booth School of Business

Diversity Leadership Alumni Award
Rami Nashashibi, AM’98, PhD’11
Founder and Executive Director of the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN)

Diversity Leadership College Student Award
Demetrius Johnson, Jr.
Third-year student in the College

Diversity Leadership Graduate/Professional Student Award
Nova Smith
PhD Candidate in Cinema and Media Studies

2020 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Diversity Leadership Faculty Award
Herschella Glenn Conyers, AB, JD
Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Clinic at the University of Chicago Law School

Diversity Leadership Staff Award
Joel D. Jackson
Assistant Director of Inclusion and Training for the Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Department at University of Chicago Medicine

Diversity Leadership Alumni Award
Thomas L. Fisher, MD ’01
Longtime health care leader

2019 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Diversity Leadership Faculty Award
Monica Vela, MD’93
Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean for Multicultural Affairs at the Pritzker School of Medicine; Associate Vice Chair for Diversity in the Department of Medicine

Diversity Leadership Staff Award
Ron OJ Parson
Resident Artist at the Court Theatre

Diversity Leadership Alumni Award
Sybil Jordan Hampton, MST’68
Lifelong advocate of public education, economic development, philanthropy, and social justice

2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Diversity Leadership Faculty Award
Randolph N. Stone
Clinical Professor of Law at the Law School; Co-Director and Founder of the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Project Clinic

Diversity Leadership Staff Award
Scott Cook
Deputy Director of Finding Answers; Quality Improvement and Clinical Transformation Strategist for the Department of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity at the University of Chicago Medicine

Diversity Leadership Alumni Award
Sunny Fischer, AM’82
Longtime Leader in Progressive Philanthropy; Board Chair, National Public Housing Museum

2017 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Diversity Leadership Faculty Award
Margaret Beale Spencer, PhD’76
Marshall Field IV Professor of Urban Education in Comparative Human Development

Diversity Leadership Staff Award
Rudy Nimocks
Director of Community Partnerships

Diversity Leadership Alumni Award
Jamil Khoury, AM’92
Playwright

2016 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Diversity Leadership Faculty Award
Nancy Schwartz
Dean for Postdoctoral Affairs in the Biological Sciences Division and Professor of Pediatrics and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Diversity Leadership Staff Award
Denise Jorgens AM'83 PhD'95
Director of International House

Diversity Leadership Alumni Award
Charles Branham PhD'80
Senior Historian at DuSable Museum of African American History

2015 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Diversity Leadership Faculty Award
Cathy Cohen
David and Mary Winton Green Professor of Political Science

Diversity Leadership Staff Award
Vernonica Haud
Deputy Dean of Admissions, Director of Equity and Access Programming

Diversity Leadership Alumni Award
Timuel Black, AM’54
African American Civil Rights Leader

2014 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Diversity Leadership Staff Award
Kathleen Forde
Assistant Dean of Students in the College

Diversity Leadership Staff Award
Theaster Gates
Director of the Arts and Public Life Initiative

Diversity Leadership Alumni Award
Aida Giachello, AM’71, PhD’88
Professor of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

2013 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Diversity Leadership Staff Award
Kim Ransom
Director, Collegiate Scholars Program

Diversity Leadership Alumni Award
Michael Bennett, PhD’88
Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, DePaul University

2012 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Diversity Leadership Staff Award
Shayne Evans
Managing Director, Urban Education Institute; Director, University of Chicago Charter School

Diversity Leadership Alumni Award
Sylvia Puente, AM'90
Executive Director, Latino Policy Forum

Diversity & Inclusion