“Your commitment to the mission and vision of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is powerful,” Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer Raaj Kurapati told faculty, staff, and students who gathered Friday in the Mooney Library for the 2024 Impact Awards.
Now in their fourth year, the Impact Awards are presented annually by the Office of Access and Compliance to recognize outstanding work done by members of the UT Health Science Center community.
The awards presented were the Thomas C. Lichterman Outstanding Employee of the Year Award, the Chancellor’s Exempt Staff Award, the Chancellor’s Faculty Award, and the Student Impact and Advocacy Leadership Awards. Winners of the Lichterman, staff, and faculty awards received $1,500, the runner up for the staff award received $500, and the student award winners received a $500 stipend for professional development in their areas of impact and advocacy in health care.
The Thomas C. Lichterman Outstanding Employee of the Year Award, given to a non-exempt employee who exhibits dedicated and enthusiastic service to UT Health Science Center, went to Jennifer Edwards, a senior custodian from Facilities Administration.
“It was stated by a coworker that the job is not the easiest, but she conducts it with so much grace and respect, and it is appreciated more than she would ever know,” last year’s winner Sharlet Alexander, executive administrative assistant in the College of Medicine, said in announcing the award. Alexander said Edwards is always positive regardless of the situation, has never met a stranger, always provides a word of encouragement, keeps a smile on their face, and “is known for saying, ‘I am here to work, so why would I complain?’”
Finalists were Ramona Jackson, a BSN program coordinator from the College of Nursing; David Clark Jr., a senior administrative services assistant from the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences; and Debbie Long, a benefits and training associate from the Department of Human Resources.
Julie Beeler, MA, CC-A/SLP, a program liaison for the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology in Knoxville, received the Chancellor’s Exempt Staff Award for her outstanding dedication, resourcefulness and leadership in fostering collaboration and communication, improving patient care, and creating innovative solutions that have had a lasting impact on the community, said Liz Hall, PharmD, assistant vice chancellor for Academic, Faculty, and Student Affairs and a member of the Advisory Council for Access and Culture.
Most recently, Beeler’s efforts in increasing the clinic’s patient show rate through a new patient education system have resulted in improved outcomes and a more efficient learning environment for students, Dr. Hall said.
The first runner-up for the award was Jennifer Ferris, a director of Research from the Office of Research Support, Graduate School of Medicine in Knoxville. Both Beeler and Ferris attended the awards ceremony via Zoom.
Other finalists included Megg Doolin, a lead digital projects analyst from Institutional Research, and Renetta Bell, EdD, a Banner Development Team lead from ITS Computing Systems.
The Chancellor’s Faculty Award went to Ian Molyneaux, MD, an assistant professor of Anesthesiology from the College of Medicine. Christie Manasco, PhD, RN, an assistant dean of Student Affairs from the College of Nursing, was a finalist.
Dr. Molyneaux has “demonstrated exceptional leadership, clinical expertise, and a deep commitment to education,” said Mona Wicks, PhD, RN, chair of the Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in the College of Nursing, who presented the award. “A standout achievement was leadership in improving airway management training for fellows, which significantly enhanced their skills and patient outcomes at Regional One Health,” said Dr. Wicks, also a member of the Advisory Council for Access and Culture.
Student Impact and Advocacy Leadership Awards were given to recognize students whose actions demonstrate impact and advocacy supporting the university’s Strategic Plan for engaging communities, educational excellence, expanding research, advancing health, and developing talent.
Charles Snyder, vice chancellor for Student Success, announced the student awards.
The winners were:
- Amy Reeves, a second-year student in the College of Dentistry, who started the THRIVE project designed to be a peer-support organization to help struggling students with personal or professional challenges, including mental health, finances, and academics.
- Kimberly Houston from the College of Graduate Health Sciences’ Health Outcomes and Policy Research PHD program, who played a pivotal role in reinstating the UT Health Science Center Chapter of the International Society for Pharmacoeonomics and Outcomes Research.
- Faith Blanchard-Ludanga, a student in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program in the College of Health Professions, who serves as the student government liaison for the Tennessee Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). She organized an APTA Local Advocacy Lunch and Learn for all three Doctor of Physical Therapy cohorts.
- Tyler Bruno from the College of Medicine, who is a cofounder of Bridge Care Outreach, a primary care clinic serving the unhoused. He also hosted a conversation with Memphis Mayor Paul Young focusing on health and wellness in Memphis.
- Christian Phillips, a fourth-year student who has organized events including Pharmacy Weekend, which celebrates incoming pharmacy students.
Finalists for the student awards were also recognized. They included Rachel Austin, Margaret Bohm, Yanxin Chen, Wendy Effah, Chenyao Jiang, Paxton Nimrod, Jaime Ragos, Elizabeth Schneider, Kaiwen Wang.
“To all of you who were nominated, as well as the recipients, what a great honor,” said Cindy Russell, PhD, RN, vice chancellor for Academic, Faculty, and Student Affairs. “Every one of you has the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people here and the people we touch.”
Following the event, one of the award recipients had an inspiring message to share with the university community.
“I was tickled to receive the award,” the winner said. “I am so proud to tell others I work for the university, and especially the Health Science Center, because I’ve always felt we embody service to others, which I personally feel is what we are all called to do.”