June 20, 2023

The 2023 Dornsife Awards recognize faculty, professional staff, and student contributions to the Dornsife School of Public Health (DSPH) at Drexel University. We are pleased to acknowledge and formally announce all of the faculty and student 2023 award recipients. (Note that the Staff Excellence Award is announced at a later date.)

We also recognize the DSPH recipients of the 2023 Graduate College Awards, new Delta Omega inductees, and those selected by Delta Omega National to present posters at APHA in November. Please join us in congratulating all of the recipients for their contributions to the School, University, and field of public health.

Dornsife Award Recipients

Outstanding Promise Award

This award recognizes students who have exhibited great promise for regional or national societal impact, and accordingly, for enhancing DSPH's reputation, now and in the future.

Presented to: Alexandra Rivera-Gonzalez, PhD '23, and Dominic Ruggiero, MPH '23

Junior Faculty Research Award

This award recognizes a junior faculty member at the Assistant Professor rank with a primary appointment in DSPH, in recognition of scholarly activity in the field of public health.

Presented to: Ayden Scheim, PhD, Assistant Professor, Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Golden Apple Teaching Award

This award recognizes faculty for their excellence in teaching. The recipient of this award has demonstrated innovation and a commitment to pedagogical excellence guides and inspires students, stimulates intellectual interest and enthusiasm, and displays a spirit of scholarly inquiry.

Presented to: Usama Bilal, PhD, MPH, MD, Assistant Professor, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Urban Health Collaborative

Faculty Practice Award

This award recognizes faculty who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to faculty mentoring through developing their applied practical experiences and integrative learning experience.

Presented to: Arthur Frank, PhD, MD, Professor, Environmental and Occupational Health

Public Health Practice Award for Community Preceptors

This award recognizes a 2022-2023 DSPH community preceptor who has shown commitment to the school and the advancement of public health practice through the hosting of student practical experiences, teaching and mentoring of students, overall partnership with to DSPH to improve the health status or our communities.

Presented to: Guadalupe Diaz, Goodwill Ambassador, Director of the HEALTH Food Pantry, AIDS Care Group. (read a related story)

Alumni Award

This award recognizes the contributions and achievements of alumni who have had distinguished careers in public health as outstanding representatives in the field of public health.

Presented to: Breauna Branch, MPH '20, Survey Statistician, U.S. Census Bureau

Drexel University Graduate College Awards

The Graduate Student Excellence Awards recognize Drexel's high performing graduate students and their commitment to the University's mission. Please join us in congratulating all of the recipients for the Graduate Student Excellence Awards.

Drexel Common Good Award

The Drexel Common Good Award is presented to graduate and professional students who demonstrate academic excellence and who are committed to improving the world around them by making contributions to local, national or global communities through either scholarship, civic engagement, and community building, including remotely/online.

Presented to: Edwin M. McCulley, PhD Candidate

Teaching Assistant Excellence Award

The Teaching Assistant Excellence Awards are presented to graduate and professional students (master's and/or doctoral level) who serve as Teaching Assistants or Teaching Fellows (TAs/TFs) and who exhibit exemplary commitment to student learning through reflective teaching practices, creative and innovative teaching methods, academic support, leadership and a commitment to their own professional growth and development as an educator.

Presented to: Rachit Sharma, PhD Candidate

Delta Omega, Beta Omega

Founded in 2010, Dornsife is home to the Beta Omega Chapter of Delta Omega, the Honor Society in Public Health.

Delta Omega 2023 Inductees

Delta Omega promotes excellence and recognizes accomplishments in scholarship and research. The Delta Omega Beta Omega Chapter Nomination Committee reviews all nominations and selects students in the top quartile of GPA with an outstanding record of service to the community.

Presented to:

• Mobolawa Adio, BS '23, MPH '24
• Mervin Alexander, MPH '22
• Breauna Branch, MPH '20
• Meredith Anne Daliva Capuli, MPH '23
• Shartearra Conigan, MPH '23
• Hope Dehnert, MPH '19
• Ashley Diamond, MPH '23
• Bikiltu Dirbaba, MPH '24
• Lizbeth Gomez, PhD Candidate
• Rashmeet Kaur, MPH '23
• Emily Lincoln, MPH '24
• Alison Long, BS '23, MPH '24
• Erin Nipps, BS '23, MPH '24
• Ugonwa Nriagu, MPH '23
• Ifunanya Anita Nwabueze, MPH '23
• Alexa Primavera, MD '23, MPH '23
• Chyanne Reyes, MPH '23
• Victoria Rodríguez Villarreal, BS '25
• Jamilia Sherls-Jones, MPH '07
• Emily Shingara, MPH '24
• Aditi Govind Wagle, MPH '24
• Kathleen Ward, PhD Candidate

Delta-Omega-Sponsored Annual APHA Student Poster Presenters

Delta Omega sponsors the annual Student Poster Session in order to encourage and recognize the public health leaders of tomorrow. Each year, twenty-nine students are selected to present their research during the Delta Omega Student Poster Session through the Academic Public Health Caucus of the American Public Health Association’s Public Health Exposition. The following Dornsife students were selected to present this year:

• Alexa Primavera, MD '23, MPH '23: "Photovoice project demonstrating the lived experiences of black women with HIV in Philadelphia"
• Gelila Solomon, MPH '24: "Cross-sectional review of lung cancer screening websites following the 2021 updates to the upstf screening guidelines"

Congratulations again to all of the finalists and award recipients, and a special thanks to those who reviewed and selected the recipients for this year.