March 4, 2026

Annually the Dornsife Awards recognize the exceptional contributions of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community partners who strengthen and advance the mission of the Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University.

These awards celebrate individuals whose work reflects a deep commitment to improving public health through research, education, community engagement, and service.

On March 4, 2026, members of the Dornsife community gathered on campus for a lively ceremony and reception to recognize this year’s honorees. The afternoon offered an opportunity to acknowledge the many ways individuals across the Dornsife community contribute to advancing health equity, strengthening partnerships, and supporting the school’s mission to create healthier cities and communities.

Additionally, new Delta Omega inductees were recognized.

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Congratulations to all who were recognized!

Below are the award descriptions and the winners:

Junior Faculty Research Award

The award recognizes a junior faculty member at the Assistant Professor rank (in any track) with a primary appointment in the Dornsife School of Public Health, in recognition of scholarly activity in the field of public health. Criteria for candidates who excel in research include one or more of the following:

• Publications/chapters/reports
• Internal/external funding
• Major conference presentations
• Service as reviewer, e.g., journal, conference abstracts
• Media coverage of research

Winner: Jourdyn A. Lawrence, PhD, MSPH, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Faculty Practice Award

This award recognizes faculty who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to community through direct research-to-practice collaboration, or by providing and mentoring Dornsife students practice projects with community partners.

Winner: Félice Lê-Scherban, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the Urban Health Collaborative

Golden Apple Faculty Teaching Award

This award recognizes faculty for excellence in teaching. All faculty are eligible. Innovation and a commitment to pedagogical excellence are the primary criteria by which the candidates will be judged. A candidate who excels in teaching:

• Guides and inspires students, and stimulates intellectual interest and enthusiasm
• Displays a spirit of scholarly inquiry, which leads to developing and strengthening course content in light of developments in the field
• Improves methods of presenting material, including creative use of technology

Winner: Christy Duré, MHA, MPA, Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Health Management and Policy

Honorable mention: J. Craig Longenecker, PhD, MD, Teaching Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award

The Outstanding Teaching Award is presented to a Dornsife student who served as a teaching assistant and who exhibited a strong commitment to student learning. A successful candidate for this award should have:

• Served as a teaching assistant in a Dornsife course in the past 12 months
• Demonstrated reflective teaching practices, creative and innovative teaching methods, and academic support to their students
• Shown leadership and a commitment to their own professional growth and development as an educator

Winner: Lexi Haws, MPH student

Outstanding Promise Student Awards

This award recognizes students who have exhibited great promise for regional or national societal impact, and accordingly, for enhancing Drexel’s reputation, now and in the future. This award is open to doctoral students, master’s students, and undergraduate students. A candidate who demonstrates outstanding promise has:

• Demonstrated originality, creativity, and significance of work
• Shown evidence of or potential for regional, national, or societal impact and enhancing Drexel’s reputation, now and in the future
• Demonstrated leadership and commitment to civic responsibility

Winners: Caroline Kravitz, MPH (Doctoral), Chizoba Okorie (Master's), Miliani Smith (Undergraduate)

Staff Excellence Award

This award recognizes a professional staff member who has demonstrated dedication and commitment to the school through innovation or making significant contributions. A candidate who excels in service has:

• Demonstrated creativity or resourcefulness in accomplishing major assignments
• Possessed outstanding administrative or technical ability
• Exercised leadership and initiative above and beyond what is required of their role
• Exhibited qualities such as dependability, patience, collaboration, and a positive attitude toward their job and colleagues

Winners: Sarah Flynn, Administrative Coordinator II, and Larry Win, IT Network & Systems Administrator

Public Health Practice Award for Community Preceptors

This award recognizes 2024-2025 Dornsife community preceptors who have shown commitment to the school and the advancement of public health practice through the hosting of student practical experiences (practicum and CBMP), teaching and mentoring of students, overall partnership with the school to improve the health status of our communities.

The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) has defined public health practice as “the strategic, organized, and interdisciplinary application of knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary to perform essential public health services and other activities to improve the population’s health.”

Distinct from service, public health practice is the application of public health scholarship, knowledge and skills to practice settings through collaboration with government entities, policy makers, community and advocacy organizations, non-governmental organizations, and health care delivery systems.

Winner: Emily Edelstein, MS, Executive Director of CraftNOW

New Preceptor Award

This year's New Preceptor Award recognizes a new public health preceptor who has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to mentoring our students during their applied practical experiences and/or integrative learning experiences.

Winners: Elizabeth McGhee Hassrick, PhD, Assistant Professor, Life Course Outcomes Research Program at the A. J. Drexel Autism Institute

Distinguished Alumni Award

This award recognizes a Drexel Dornsife alumnus who has completed a Dornsife educational program and received an academic degree by the Dornsife School of Public Health and has made significant contributions throughout their career in any of the following categories: leadership, practice, teaching, research, community, or to Dornsife. A successful candidate has attained recognition and respect for their accomplishments, and demonstrated strong interest and commitment to the mission, vision and values of the school.

Winner: Cassandra Kercher Crifasi, PhD, MPH '10, Associate Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Recent Alumni Award

This award recognizes an alumnus who has completed a Dornsife educational program and received an academic degree in the past five years who has achieved important and promising accomplishments and has exceptional promise for future success. A successful candidate demonstrates a strong interest and commitment to the mission, vision and values of Dornsife.

Winner: Jamile Tellez Lieberman, DrPH '21, SVP of Community Engagement, Research & Health Equity at Esperanza

Culture, Community & Opportunity Award Award

This award recognizes a Dornsife faculty, staff or student who exemplifies the school’s values of Culture, Community, Opportunity and Belonging. They strive to build and nurture an institutional culture where inclusiveness is a core value and where difference is respected for all. Collectively, they bring our vision of health as a human right to life, inspiring progress toward a future free of health disparities and defined by true equity in public health.

Winners: Filza Zuberi, MPH student

Delta Omega

The student membership in the Delta Omega National Honor Society is awarded to students who reflect a commitment to excellence in academics and the applications of synthesis of public health principles as well as to the protection and improvement of population and community health. The Dornsife Delta Omega Beta Omega Chapter Alumni Nomination Committee reviews all nominations and selects students in the top quartile of GPA with an outstanding record of service to the community. To be eligible for membership, candidates must:

• Be an undergraduate (BS) or graduate (MPH, MS, PhD, DrPH) student in the Dornsife School of Public Health in good academic standing
• Attend two (2) Beta Omega Chapter approved service activities each year. (Attending non-Beta Omega service activities will also meet this requirement. Service includes volunteer opportunities in the public health industry as well as to the community in which you live and/or work)
• Have a record of outstanding academic achievement

New Members:

• Caroline Kravitz
• Sophie Daghlian
• Filza Zuberi
• Triny Efanga
• Tiffany Nakajima
• Emily Flanders
• Anika Islam
• Madhumita Kannan
• Jordana Benblatt
• Miliani Smith
• Alton Reid (alum)
• Jana M. Mossey (faculty)

Congratulations to the recipients and thank you to the organizers of the event in the Dornsife Office of Education!