Chancellor’s Awards for Diversity, Inclusion, and Civic Engagement

To the Campus Community:

Since the founding of the Office of Civic Engagement in 2011, Rutgers University–Camden has celebrated the contributions of our faculty, staff, students, alumni and community partners with the Chancellor's Awards for Civic Engagement. This year, we build upon that foundation with the Chancellor’s Awards for Diversity, Inclusion, and Civic Engagement.

As we live our values of a beloved community, these awards will celebrate those who strive daily to foster understanding and learning, invest in building relationships across differences and offer new ways to promote equity and diversity. The awards will honor those who help us create a more inclusive culture on campus and within the wider region.

Nominations are being accepted in ten categories, all listed below with the criteria for each award.

Nominations, including self-nominations, are welcome from all members of the university community. Please submit nominations online no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, February 24. Award recipients will be recognized at a reception that will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 13. Register for the awards reception.

Academic Civic Engagement

This award recognizes courses or programs that create outstanding opportunities for engaged civic learning for Rutgers University–Camden students. Examples of potential nominees include courses that integrate engaged civic learning, major programs that provide a community-based experience or graduate degree programs that incorporate a public interest field component. Nominees will be judged on the degree to which the civic experience advances broader learning goals and the interests of communities.

Student Civic Engagement

This award recognizes students who have made noteworthy contributions to communities beyond the campus through their academic and co-curricular work. Nominations may cite students’ engagement in academic courses, internships, volunteer service and/or paid positions. Nominees will be judged on the depth of their commitment and the impact of their work.

Cooper Civic Leadership Award

This award recognizes a student who exemplifies outstanding service to the Camden community, with special consideration given to students whose engagement is through a health-related field. An award of $1,000 from Cooper University Health Care will be given to this student.

Alumni Civic Enagement

This award recognizes individual alumni or groups of alumni for efforts and projects that benefit communities beyond the Rutgers campus. Nominations may cite alumni efforts carried out under the Rutgers banner or those carried out independently. Nominees will be judged on the scope and impact of their work.

Community Partner Organization

This award recognizes a community partner organization that has worked with Rutgers University–Camden to bring benefits to communities beyond the Rutgers campus. Nominees will be judged on the impact of their work and the depth and scope of their partnership with Rutgers University–Camden.

Faculty-Staff Community Service

This award recognizes staff and faculty members for service to communities beyond the Rutgers University–Camden campus and that has been carried out independent of their positions at Rutgers. Nominees will be judged on the duration, depth and impact of their work.

Community-Engaged Scholarship

This award recognizes faculty whose scholarship involves a reciprocal partnership with the community, meaningfully engages community-based knowledge, and/or provides a direct and tangible benefit to the community in which it was performed. Nominees will be judged on the scope and impact of their work.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership

This award honors individuals whose work advances our campus community toward a world-class higher education institution, building on a heritage of equity, belonging and inclusion. These individuals will be recognized for providing Rutgers University–Camden with the critical voices necessary for change and for their sustained actions to make community into an even more diverse and inclusive environment.

Academic Diversity and Inclusion

This award recognizes outstanding academic courses that advance education about diversity and inclusion. Nominees will be evaluated based upon innovation, depth of focus toward DEI and impact on enhancing diversity and inclusion education on our campus.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership

This award honors individuals whose work advances our campus community toward a world-class higher education institution, building on a heritage of equity, belonging and inclusion. These individuals will be recognized for providing Rutgers University–Camden with the critical voices necessary for change and for their sustained actions to make community into an even more diverse and inclusive environment.

Faculty Research Award for Scienctific Contributions Toward Diversity and Inclusion

This award recognizes faculty who achieve outstanding research accomplishments related to diversity and inclusion.

Rutgers University–Camden has a well-earned national reputation as a leader in the areas of civic engagement and has a foundation of impactful diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. I encourage you to recognize this important work by submitting nominations. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Nyeema Watson, vice chancellor for diversity, inclusion, and civic engagement. I hope that you share my pride in Rutgers University–Camden’s leadership role in our community and our region.

Sincerely,

Antonio D. Tillis, Ph.D.
Chancellor