This article was written by MS4 Deena R. Mohamed, IU School of Medicine Medical Student Council Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion.
Change is the only constant, but 2020 was the year of extraordinary changes - a rapid, deadly global pandemic, marches for racial equality and justice, a woman of Indian and Jamaican heritage on the Democratic ticket, a Zoom-only world, and so much more. Student leaders at IU School of Medicine embraced these global and national changes and challenged the school community to reflect and reconstruct a new normal inside and outside the classroom.
The formation of the annual Excellence in Leadership Awards at IU School of Medicine was a way to recognize colleagues' hard work in various student interest groups, committees and service projects over the past academic year. The leaders of the Medical Student Council (MSC), Medical Student Service-Learning Group (MSSG), Wellness Coalition (WC), Curriculum Coalition (CC) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coalition (DEIC) acknowledged organizations, events and individuals that made a remarkable influence in the community and student engagements.
We were amazed by the number of nominations by our peers and faculty members across the state and are pleased to present the winners of the 2021 Excellence in Leadership Awards.
Event Awards
Outstanding Campus Event of the Year - This award recognizes an event that has been widely attended by IU School of Medicine members and had a profound impact on the school community.
- Region V Medical Education Conference hosted by Student National Medical Association
- Rock for Riley Drive-In Movie Night
Best Social Event of the Year - This award recognizes an event that has brought together IU School of Medicine members to network with or meet other members.
- Palatine's Speed Friending hosted by the Wellness Coalition
Best Collaboration of the Year - This award recognizes a creative collaboration between two or more organizations within the IU School of Medicine community to host a successful event through fostering excellent communication, mutual support, and sharing resources between student organizations.
- Black History Month Speaker Series hosted by the Student National Medical Association and Students for a National Health Program
Outstanding Educational Event of the Year - This award recognizes an event that has provided excellent education to its attendees (e.g. colleagues, families, communities).
- HEAR Initiative
Outstanding Philanthropic Event of the Year - This award recognizes an event that has allowed students to actively engage with and learn more about community partners and their initiatives, while also helping students learn about how to impact patient healthcare outside of the clinic.
- Reach out and Read Fundraiser
Outstanding Multicultural Event of the Year - This award recognizes an event that has recognized or encouraged diversity as a core aspect of the event.
- LGBTQ Healthcare Disparities hosted by the Social Determinants of Health Journal Club and Alliance
Outstanding Wellness Event of the Year - This award recognizes an event that has focused on promoting medical student well-being (e.g. physical wellness, financial wellness, mental wellness, spiritual wellness).
- Quarantales hosted by the Wellness Coalition
Innovative Event of the Year - This award recognizes an event that has uniquely addressed a topic of interest OR has required overcoming barriers for organizers to host it.
- White Coats for Black Lives
Organization Awards
Community Outreach Award - This award recognizes an organization that has made a significant impact on their community through advocacy and/or outreach.
- Student National Medical Association
Student Engagement Award - This award recognizes an organization that has made notable efforts to engage IUSM students through various means (e.g. leadership, events).
- Euchre Student Interest Organization (SIG)
Statewide Engagement Award - This award recognizes an organization that has shown a passion for equity across multiple IU School of Medicine campuses (e.g. zoom access, executive board representation hosting events).
- Wellness Coalition
New Organization Award - This award recognizes a student organization formed or reactivated within the last two years that has shown exceptional promise and contributions through programming and/or service that reflects the emerging needs and interests of IU School of Medicine students.
- Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association
Inclusivity Award - This award recognizes an organization that has made notable efforts to engage students with a wide variety of backgrounds (e.g. identity, campuses, year in school).
- Alliance
Individual Awards
Distinguished Student Leader - This award recognizes a student who has demonstrated excellence in leadership including professionalism, compassion, organization and empathy and continually facilitates and advocates for change.
- MS2 - Trilliah Fazle and Abhipri Mishra
- MS3 - Shan Antony and Aida Haddad
- MS4 - Jamel Hill and Amit Nag
Unsung Hero -This award recognizes a student who has been integral to the inside workings of an organization but may not hold a leadership role or has worked diligently outside the boundaries of their role.
- MS2 - Mahmud Sam, Marelle
- MS3 - Alejandra Mendez, Eric Aksu
- MS4 - Shae Jansen, Maritza Gomez
MS1 Emerging Leaders -This award recognizes a first-year student who has shown exceptional promise in leadership in aspects of professionalism, compassion, organization and empathy. They may not necessarily hold a leadership position, but their participation and presence in activities have proved them to be a valuable future leader.
- Aonesti Williams
- Eashan Kumar
Visionary Leadership - This award recognizes a leader or group or leaders who have demonstrated trailblazing efforts in their organization. They have recognized the need for change and created paths to facilitate change.
- Rebecca Nunge
- Keeley Newsom
Outstanding Advisor - This award recognizes a staff or faculty member who has demonstrated outstanding contributions to students or a student organization. This person is one who has had a profound impact on students by providing a welcoming, inclusive and enthusiastic environment, and was chosen on the basis of their involvement and knowledge of the organization, ability to challenge leaders and guidance and support when needed.
- Kristina Anne Borger
Outstanding Faculty or Staff Advocate - This award recognizes a staff or faculty member who acted as an outstanding advocate for students. They have played a key part in student organizations by providing openness to change, constructive feedback and a commitment to excellence in our student organizations among other qualities.
- Antwione Haywood, PhD
Distinguished Patient Advocate - This award recognizes students that advocate for their patients on and off the wards. They exemplify humanistic medicine and empathy for their patient regardless of background.
- Eric Klipsch
- Jon Class
Distinguished Peer Advocate - This award recognizes student(s) that advocate for their colleagues' needs. This can be through advocacy to school administrators and faculty or at a broader level.
- MS1 - Karis Bamba, Makayla Morning
- MS2 - Lucy Brown, Shelby Laine
- MS3 - Matthew Wilcox, Blagoje (Bill) Trimoski
- MS4 - Sarah Islam, Nate Rollison
Distinguished Community Engagement -This award recognizes a leader who has demonstrated distinguished commitment to their local community. This can be through consistent volunteering, dedicated involvement with community organizations or advocacy for their neighbors’ needs.
- MS1 - Theresa Byrilongiro
- MS2 - Mahera Husain, Catherine Burns
- MS3 - Madison Harris, Holly VanDeman
- MS4 - Sandi Jones
Distinguished Curricular Advocacy - This award recognizes a leader who has demonstrated commitment to advocacy in curriculum. They exemplify the ability to represent student needs and negotiate for student interests, translate curricular and assessment changes and innovate in the realm of curricular engagement.
- Amy Fraser
- Stephanie Asdell
Distinguished Wellness Champion - This award recognizes a student who promotes and advocates for the health, wellness and self-care of their peers. This student has shown dedication to the improvement of the dimensions of wellness for the entire school, among their campus or individually within their class.
- Maria Manuela Gil-Cupello
- Brian Niebuhr
Distinguished Diversity/Inclusion Champion - This award recognizes a student who promotes and advocates for the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) of their peers. This student has shown dedication to the improvement of inclusivity and awareness for the entire school, among their campus, or individually within their class. They exemplify the ability to represent student needs and negotiate for student interest and to innovate in the realm of DEI.
- Neeta Patwari
- Maya Lee