Diversity Leadership Awards

Honoring diversity champions

The Diversity Leadership Awards recognize University faculty, staff, students, and alumni who, in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., display leadership in fostering diversity and inclusion and advancing the cause of justice and equality in our community and society. Award recipients are recognized at the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Celebration.

Who is eligible?

All University of Chicago/University of Chicago Medicine faculty and staff members and students and alumni of the College, graduate divisions, and professional schools are eligible.

Who may nominate?

We welcome all nominations, including self-nominations.

How do I nominate?

Nominations for the current academic year are currently closed.

Questions?

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

PAST RECIPIENTS

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

UChicago Diversity Initiative