Public Engagement Award Winners

Past Recipients

2026

President’s Community-Engaged Scholar Award 

Zha Blong Xiong, Associate Professor, Department of Family Social Science, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Watch the video.

Exemplary University-Community Partnership Award

Duluth Center for Women and Children’s (DCWC) Nourish program with Dr. Aparna Katre, Associate Professor of Cultural Entrepreneurship and Interdisciplinary Studies and Acting Director of DCWC, University of Minnesota Duluth. Watch the video.

Exemplary Community-Engaged Professional Award 

Ishmail Malik Holt-Shabazz, Director of Neighborhood Leadership and Organizing, Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Watch the video.

Societal Impact Award

Robert Blair, Professor, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, College of Food Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Watch the video.

Community-Engaged Scholar Awards

Research and Creative Activities: Jessica Hanson, Interim Department Head and Associate Professor, Department of Applied Human Sciences, University of Minnesota Duluth. Watch the video.

Teaching and Learning: Lauren Bernstein, Assistant professor of Community Medicine, Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Watch the video.

Early Career: Manka Nkimbeng, assistant professor, Division of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Watch the video.

Graduate Student: Miguel Quiñones, graduate student, Family Social Science, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Watch the video.

Undergraduate Student: Connor Pederson, undergraduate, Department of Finance, University of Minnesota Duluth. Watch the video.

2025

President’s Community-Engaged Scholar Award

Rebecca Shlafer, associate professor, Division of General Pediatrics & Adolescent Health, Medical School, University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Watch the video.

Exemplary University-Community Partnership Award

Cheryl Olman, professor, Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Watch the video.

Exemplary Community-Engaged Professional Award 

Caitlin Barale Potter, associate director, Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Watch the video.

Societal Impact Awards

Elizabeth Wrigley-Field, associate professor, Department of Sociology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Watch the video.

UMN Physics Force. Shaul Hanany, professor and director, School of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Watch the video.

Community-Engaged Scholar Awards

Research and Creative Activities: M. Kumi Smith, associate professor, Division of Epidemiology & Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Watch the video.

Early Career: Kelly Searle, assistant professor, Division of Epidemiology & Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Watch the video.

Graduate Student: Jennifer Nicklay, Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Watch the video.

Undergraduate Student: Jacob Heytens, Department of Social Work, University of Minnesota Duluth. Watch the video.

2024

President's Community-Engaged Scholar Award

Brittany Lewis, Senior Research Associate, Center for Urban and Regional Affairs. 

Community-Engaged Scholar Awards

  • Julie Grossman, Professor, Department of Horticulture, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences.
  • Sarah Hoffman, Associate Professor, Department of Population and Health Systems, School of Nursing.
  • Ruby Nguyen, Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health.
  • Rebekah Pratt, Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Medical School.
  • Elizabeth Wrigley-Field, associate professor, Department of Sociology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Shaul Hanany, professor and director, School of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

2023

President’s Community-Engaged Scholar Award Winner

  • Greta Friedemann-Sánchez, professor, Department of Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Aparna Katre, associate professor, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Swenson College of Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota Duluth
  • Mark Pedelty, professor, Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Rob Blair, associate professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Rachel Hardeman, associate professor, Division of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

2022

President's Community Engaged Scholar Award

Olihe Okoro, associate professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy

Community-Engaged Scholar Awards

  • Jessica Gutnecht, associate professor, Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Sciences
  • Jennifer McCleary, associate professor, Department of Social Work, College of Education and Human Service Professions
  • William Jones, professor, Department of History, College of Liberal Arts
  • Laura Kalambokidis, professor, Department of Applied Economics, College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Sciences
  • Soumya Sen, associate professor, Department of Information, Technology, and Business Analytics, Carlson School of Management
  • Michael Wilson, professor, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences

2021

President’s Community-Engaged Scholar Award Winner

Brenda J. Child, professor, Department of American Studies, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Community-Engaged Scholar Award recipients:

  • Kate Derickson, associate professor, Department of Geography, Environment and Society, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Kathryn Draeger, director, Extension Center for Community Vitality, University of Minnesota Extension
  • Patrick McNamara, professor, Department of Animal Science, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Monica Moses Haller, associate professor, Department of Art, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Crystal Ng, associate professor, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Marizen Ramirez, associate professor, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Tiffany Wolf, assistant professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

2020

President’s Community-Engaged Scholar Award Winner

Laura Palombi, associate professor, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Medical School, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Community-Engaged Scholar Award recipients:

  • David Feinberg, associate professor, Department of Anthropology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Mai Na Lee, associate professor, Department of Social Work, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Ruby Nguyen, associate professor, Division of Epidemiology & Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Rebekah Pratt, associate professor, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Medical School, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Luverne Seifert, associate professor, School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

2019

President’s Community-Engaged Scholar Award Winner

Greg Lindsey, professor, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Community-Engaged Scholar Award recipients:

  • Elizabeth Carlson, assistant professor, School of Nursing, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Betsy McCann, associate professor, Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Ruby Nguyen, associate professor, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Mary Rogers, professor, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Diane Treat-Jacobson, professor, School of Nursing, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

2018

President’s Community-Engaged Scholar Award Winner

Lesa Covington Clarkson, associate professor, Department of Family Social Science, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Community-Engaged Scholar Award recipients:

  • Cawo Abdi, associate professor, Department of Sociology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Diana Dalbotten, director, Minnesota Geological Survey, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Catherine Jordan, professor, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Cynthia Messer, associate professor, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Larissa Minicucci, associate professor, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Robert Straka, professor, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

2017

President’s Community-Engaged Scholar Award Winner

George Weiblen, professor, Department of Plant Biology, College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Community-Engaged Scholar Award recipients:

  • Abimbola Asojo, associate professor, College of Design, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Kathryn Draeger, director, Extension Center for Community Vitality, University of Minnesota Extension
  • Michelle Johnson-Jennings, associate professor, School of Social Work, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Jennifer McComas, professor, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Kathy Quick, associate professor, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Tetyana Shippee, associate professor, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Renee Sieving, professor, School of Nursing, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

2016

President’s Community-Engaged Scholar Award Winner

Lauren Martin, associate professor, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Community-Engaged Scholar Award recipients:

  • Elizabeth Bartlett, professor, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Lucy Fortson, professor, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Joseph Gaugler, professor, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Abigail Gewirtz, professor, Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Stephen Kells, professor, Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Perry Moriarty, professor, Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Timothy Smith, associate professor, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Kathy Quick, associate professor, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

2015

President’s Community-Engaged Scholar Award Winner

Kathleen Call, professor, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Community-Engaged Scholar Award recipients:

  • Christina Baeumler, associate professor, College of Design, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Robert Blair, professor, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Lesa Covington Clarkson, associate professor, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Alvin Killough, extension educator, University of Minnesota Extension
  • Lauren Martin, associate professor, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Kristine Miller, professor, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Myron Orfield, professor, Law School, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Renee Sieving, professor, School of Nursing, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Carissa Slotterback, associate professor, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

2014

President’s Community-Engaged Scholar Award Winner

Michele Allen, professor, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Medical School, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Community-Engaged Scholar Award recipients:

  • William Craig, professor, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Yingling Fan, associate professor, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Louis Mendoza, professor, Department of Chicano and Latino Studies, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Myron Orfield, professor, Law School, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Stacey Stark, professor, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

2013

President’s Community-Engaged Scholar Award Winners

Ignacio San Martin, professor, College of Design, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Michele Allen, professor, Medical School, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Community-Engaged Scholar Award recipients:

  • Alison Aune, professor, University of Minnesota Duluth
  • Dale Carpenter, professor, University of Minnesota Law School
  • Ananya Chatterjea, associate professor, Department of Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Kolawole Okuyemi, professor, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • George Weiblen, professor, College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities