SHP Awards of Excellence

2026 Awards of Excellence

Congratulations to our Faculty, Student, and Alumni Awardees

These awards recognize students, faculty, volunteers, and alumni for outstanding accomplishments in their field, or service to the school and larger community.

Faculty Awards

The George F. Heinrich, MD, Excellence in Research Award

Awarded by SHP on behalf of the New Jersey Health Foundation. Presented to a faculty member in recognition of exemplary research.

2026 Awardee:
Dr. Shristi Rawal
Associate Professor, Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutritional Sciences

This award recognizes outstanding research or scholarly activity by a faculty member. Faculty may self-nominate or nominate a colleague who has done outstanding work in research or scholarship. This recognition includes a monetary award.

Award criteria:

  • Submission of nomination form along with a copy of a journal article or presentation abstract
  • Completion and publication, or presentation of research or scholarship activities, from two years prior to the application deadline date.
  • Research or scholarly work can focus on: patient care, professional issues, basic science, educational issues, community and public health issues, or ethics.
  • Faculty members at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences are eligible.
  • Former Excellence in Research Award winners are ineligible for a one-year period

Questions? Email OSA@shp.rutgers.edu

Excellence in Research Nomination

The George F. Heinrich, MD, Excellence in Teaching Award

Awarded by SHP on behalf of the New Jersey Health Foundation. Presented to a faculty member for outstanding teaching and for dedication to educating our students. Recommendations come from students.

2026 Awardee:
Dr. Lisa Palladino Kim
Lecturer, Department of Health Informatics

Each year the School of Health Professions, on behalf of the New Jersey Health Foundation, grants this award to a faculty member for outstanding effort in teaching and dedication to the education of our students during the academic year.

Nominations should be made by students and must be submitted electronically. Please include nomination letter.

Award Criteria:

  • Planning and providing effective instruction: Focus should be on course content, faculty expertise, innovativeness, and creativity.
  • Personal and professional role modeling: Focus should be on role modeling through scholarship and research, personal professional growth/development, and extracurricular activities.
  • Facilitating growth, and development through means other than instruction: Focus should be on formal counseling and advisement and informal support and encouragement.

Faculty who are nominated by students for this award will be notified and requested to submit a nomination packet.

Note: SHP Faculty may not receive the award more than once in a five-year period.

 

Questions? Email OSA@shp.rutgers.edu

Excellence in Teaching Nomination

Alumni Awards

Distinguished Alumnus Award

Awarded by the School of Health Professions. Presented on behalf of faculty and students to an alumnus in recognition of outstanding achievement in their specialty.

2026 Awardee:
Dr. Jojy Cheriyan
Adjunct Faculty, Department of Health Informatics

 

This award recognizes alumni who have made an outstanding contribution to health care through service, education, or research.

Recipients will be chosen for their ability to work with patients and fellow professionals, their level of community involvement and for achieving a positive reputation among health care professionals and community members.

Please include a nomination letter.

Questions? Email OSA@shp.rutgers.edu

Distinguished Alumnus Nomination

Student Awards

Academic, Clinical & Service Awards of Excellence

Awarded by SHP. Presented on the recommendation of program directors to students who have excelled academically and/or clinically in their programs. The service award is presented to those who have contributed outstanding service to the community, the school, the university or the health profession.

See our 2025 Awardees

These awards are presented on the recommendation of program directors or faculty members to students in approved programs (not tracks) who have excelled academically and/or clinically in their educational programs.

The Service Award is presented to those who have contributed outstanding service to the community, the school, the university, or the health professions. Failure to meet the March 15th deadline may mean omission of a student’s name and award from the commencement program.

Please include a nomination letter.

Questions? Email OSA@shp.rutgers.edu

Student Awards of Excellence Nomination

Stanley S. Bergen Medal of Excellence

The Stanley S. Bergen Medal of Excellence is the premier award given to a SHP graduating student. Nominees must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at SHP. Nominees may not be winners of the Clinical, Academic or the Student Excellence in Service Awards. Each program may nominate one graduate with the approval of the Program Director. The final GPA must be 3.5 or better to be eligible for consideration.

2026 Awardee:
Dr. Saren Nonoyma
Doctor of Physical Therapy

The Stanley S. Bergen Medal of Excellence is the premier award given to a SHP graduating student.

The Nomination Package must include three items:

  1. A nominating letter, usually from the Program Director, describing the nominee’s accomplishments and specifically addresses the four categories listed below.
  2. A copy of the graduate’s final transcript
  3. A completed Nomination Form – (completed online)

Nominees must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at SHP.  Nominees may not be winners of the Clinical, Academic or the Student Excellence in Service Awards.  Each program may nominate one graduate with the approval of the Program Director.

The final GPA must be 3.5 or better to be eligible for consideration.  Please see below criteria to be considered for the Bergen Medal Award.

  1. Demonstrated leadership and advocacy during their time in their program indicative of future ability to move their chosen profession forward based on the solid foundation they received at Rutgers.
  2. Scholarly Activity: to include excellence in research and scholarly projects, reports, presentations and papers.
  3. Community Service: to include volunteer or community service activities in any area.
  4. Service to the University: to include participation on University or school committees or task forces, or other related activities.

Note:  The nomination letter must address ONLY those activities that occurred while the individual was a student at RUTGERS UNIVERSITY in the professional phase of the program.

Questions? Email OSA@shp.rutgers.edu

Bergen Medal of Excellence Nomination

Contribution to SHP Award–by Adjunct and Volunteer Faculty, Individual or Organization

Distinguished Service Award

Awarded by the School of Health Professions. This prestigious award is presented to an individual or organization whose leadership and guidance advanced our school. Nominations are from faculty members.

2026 Awardee:
Elissa Passiment
Professor, Department of Clinical Laboratory and Medical Imaging Sciences

This award is presented to an individual or organization outside of SHP who has made significant contributions to our school, and to health care through education, service, or research.

SHP’s adjunct faculty (less than 50% FTE) and volunteer faculty members may also be nominated. No other SHP employees are eligible to be nominated for this award. Please submit a nomination letter. The award will be presented by a faculty member.

Questions? Email OSA@shp.rutgers.edu

Distinguished Service Nomination
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