General Information

Named in honor of Dean Emeritus of the School of Social Work, this award was established in 1996. It recognizes faculty whose service goes above and beyond their regular duties and contributes to the development of a culturally and ethnically diverse campus community.

Nominations will be accepted for all regular instructional and research faculty, including librarians, curators, and archivists on the Ann Arbor campus (including the Medical School).

Nominations can be made by faculty, staff, and students, and must include a nomination letter, which should not exceed 2,000 words.

The nomination letter should explain the particular distinction that makes the nominee exceptionally qualified for this honor using one or more of the following criteria:

  • Public and/or academically oriented endeavors that demonstrate intellectual excellence and commitment to cultural diversity in service, teaching, scholarship, and/or creative activity
  • Efforts to increase diversity or improve the climate within one’s academic unit and/or the University
  • Efforts to use scholarly and/or creative work to enhance the success of students and faculty of diverse cultural and racial backgrounds
  • Willingness to serve as a mentor to students who have a commitment to diversity and social justice
  • Sustained effort and demonstrated outcomes to bring about equity in our community or society as whole

The nomination letter may incorporate quotations from former and current students, peers, faculty, and communities impacted by the nominee’s work.

Up to five awards are made annually, which includes a $5,000 stipend for each honoree.

Please submit your nomination from the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion portal. The nominator’s statement should include information about the nominee’s service and accomplishments in the areas described above, and a copy of the nominee’s curriculum vita.

Nominations are due on Monday, April 3, 2023.

If you have questions, please email Marionette Cano at canom@umich.edu.

Johnson Diversity Award Recipients, 2023

  • Melissa May Borja, LSA
  • Todd Vincent Ester, School of Dentistry
  • John Montgomery, LSA
  • Darlene P. Nichols, U-M Library
  • Isis H. Settles, LSA
  • Matthew C. Wixson, Medical School
Past Johnson Diversity Award Recipients

2022

  • Jonathan Ford Finks, Medical School
  • Gary Freed, School of Public Health
  • Odest Chadwicke Jenkins, College of Engineering
  • Ramaswami Mahalingam, LSA
  • Damani James Partridge, LSA
  • Charles Ransom, University Library
  • Sara Soderstrom, LSA, Stephen M. Ross School of Business, School for Environment and Sustainability
  • Lifetime Achievement Award: Henry Meares. School of Education

2021

  • Maisie Gholson, School of Education
  • Rogério Meireles Pinto, School of Social Work
  • Daicia Price, School of Social Work
  • Yeidy Rivero, LSA: Film, Television, and Media and American Culture
  • Herbert Winful, College of Engineering

2020

  • Rosario Ceballo, LSA, Psychology and Women’s Studies
  • Sarah Koch, LSA, Mathematics
  • Anne J. McNeil, LSA, Chemistry and Honors Program
  • Erika Newman, Medical School, Pediatric Surgery
  • Team Award: Medical School, Family Medicine, MDisability Program
    Oluwaferanmi O. Okanlami
    Michael M. McKee
    Lisa Meeks

2019

  • Valeria Bertacco, College of Engineering
  • Ron Eglash, School of Information and Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design
  • Marita Inglehart, School of Dentistry and LSA. (Lifetime Achievement Award)
  • Petra Kuppers, LSA, Stamps School and School of Music, Theatre & Dance
  • Chinedum Okwudire, College of Engineering
  • J. Frank Yates, LSA and Stephen M. Ross School of Business

2018

  • Sara Ahbel-Rappe, LSA
  • Elizabeth R. Cole, LSA
  • Nicolai Lehnert, LSA
  • Franc Nunoo-Quarcoo, Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design
  • Allison Steiner, College of Engineering and LSA
  • Robert Joseph Taylor, School of Social Work

2017

  • Patricia Colemon-Burns, School of Nursing (Lifetime Achievement Award)
  • Ellen Arruda, College of Engineering
  • Anna Mapp, LSA
  • Karin Martin, LSA
  • Anthony Mora, LSA
  • Alisse Portnoy, LSA
  • Dawn Tilbury, College of Engineering

2016

  • R. Alexander Blackwood, Medical School
  • Omolola Eniola-Adefeso, College of Engineering
  • Arline T. Geronimus, Institute for Social Research and School of Public Health
  • Robert Jagers, School of Education
  • Nojin Kwak, LSA
  • Jennifer Linderman, College of Engineering
  • Ruby Tapia, LSA

2015

  • Sarah M. Aciego, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, LSA
  • Evelyn Alsultany, Department of American Culture, LSA
  • Linda Chatters, School of Social Work
  • Sandra Momper, School of Social Work
  • Lester P. Monts, School of Music, Theatre & Dance
  • Lisa A. Newman, Department of Surgery, Medical School
  • Nils Walter, Department of Chemistry, LSA

2014

  • Ketra Armstrong – School of Kinesiology
  • Elizabeth James – Department of Afroamerican and African Studies
  • Mark Moldwin – Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, College of Engineering
  • Edward Sarath – Music Department (Jazz), School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
  • Amy Schulz – Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health
  • Denise Sekaquaptewa – Psychology and Women’s Studies, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, and Research Center for Group Dynamics, ISR
  • June Manning Thomas – Urban Planning, A Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, and Residential College, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts

2013

  • Letha Chadiha, School of Social Work
  • Leslie Hollingsworth, School of Social Work
  • Barbara Israel, Health Behavior and Health Education
  • Timothy R.B. Johnson, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • John Matlock, Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives
  • Paul Mohai, SNRE
  • John Vandermeer, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

2012

  • Deborah Goldberg, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
  • Barbra Meek, Anthropology and Linguistics
  • Juanita Merchant, Internal Medicine and Molecular and Integrative Physiology
  • Stephanie Rowley, Psychology and Education
  • Derrick Scott, Center for Engineering Diversity & Outreach
  • Dorceta Taylor, Environmental Sociology and Environment
  • Stephen Ward, Afroamerican and African studies and the Residential College

2011

  • Crisca Bierwert, Center for Research on Learning and Teaching
  • Deborah Carter, School of Education
  • Avery Demond, College of Engineering
  • James Holloway, College of Engineering
  • Martha Jones, College of LSA
  • Andrew Shryock, College of LSA

2010

  • Robin Means Coleman, Communication Studies
  • Carol Fierke, Chemistry
  • Elijah Kannatey-Asibu, Mechanical Engineering
  • Guy Meadows, Engineering
  • Robert Sellers, Psychology
  • Louis Yen, Kinesiology

2009

  • Kelly Askew, Anthropology
  • Tabbye Chavous, School of Education and LSA Lawrence La
  • Fountain-Stokes, American Culture/Romance Languages
  • Karin Muraszko, Medical School
  • Scott Page, Political Science and the Institute for Social Research
  • Daniel Washington, School of Music, Theatre & Dance

2008

  • Paul Allen-Meares, Social Work
  • Matthew Countryman, History/American Culture
  • Maria Cotera, American Culture/Women’s Studies
  • Carla O’Connor, School of Education
  • Bradford Orr, Physics

2007

  • Frieda Ekotto, Romance Languages and Literatures/Comparative Literature
  • Bruce Frier, Classical Studies/Law
  • K. Wayne Jones, Materials Science and Engineering
  • Janice (Janie) Paul, School of Art and Design
  • Catherine Squires, Communication Studies
  • David Wooten, Business Administration

2006

  • Cleopatra Caldwell, School of Public Health
  • Larry Gant, School of Social Work
  • Sioban Harlow, School of Public Health
  • Charles Smith, Pharmacology
  • Mieko Yoshihama, School of Social Work

2005

  • William (Buzz) Alexander, English Language and Literature
  • Percy Bates, School of Education
  • Alec Gallimore, College of Engineering
  • Joseph Lam, School of Music
  • Jana Nidiffer, School of Education

2004

  • F. Muge Gocek, Sociology and Women’s Studies
  • David Gordon, Pathology
  • Mark Lewis, Industrial Operations
  • Paul Rasmussen, Chemistry
  • David Scobey, Arts of Citizenship/Architecture and Urban Planning

2003

  • Robert L. Griess, Jr., Mathematics
  • María E. Montoya, History
  • Michael S. Spencer, Social Work
  • Antonia M. Villarruel , Nursing
  • Alford A. Young, Jr., Sociology
  • Special Recognition: Gerald Gurin, Institute for Social Research

2002

  • Anthony W. England, Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Carmen R. Green, Medical School
  • Lemuel A. Johnson, English
  • Amy K. Stillman, Music and American Culture
  • Marilyn W. Woolfolk, Dentistry

2001

  • Bunyan Bryant, School of Natural Resources and Environment
  • Harold Neighbors, School of Public Health
  • Michael Savageau, Microbiology and Immunology
  • Kristine Siefert, Social Work
  • Abigail J. Steward, Institute for Research on Women and Gender
  • Levi T. Thompson, Chemical Engineering

2000

  • Lorraine Gutierrez, Psychology and Social Work
  • James Jackson, Center for Afroamerican and African Studies
  • Terrence McDonald, History
  • Robert Megginson, Math
  • Emerson Robinson, Dentistry

1999

  • James A. Chaffers, Architecture
  • Charles J. Krause, Otolaryngology
  • Ann E. Larimore, Geography and Women’s Studies
  • Earl Lewis, History and Afro-American/African Studies
  • Margaret Scisney-Matlock, Nursing

1998

  • Patricia Y. Gurin, Psychology
  • Sylvia Hurtado, Education
  • Richard Lichtenstein, Health Management and Policy
  • Marilyn Roubidoux, Radiology
  • David R. Williams, Sociology

1997

  • Elizabeth A. Allen, Nursing
  • Charles N. Ellis, Dermatology
  • Robert M. Ortega, Social Work
  • Willis C. Patterson, Music
  • Beth G. Reed, Social Work and Women’s Studies

1996

  • Frances R. Aparicio, Spanish and American Culture
  • Mark Chesler, Sociology
  • Donald R. Deskins, Urban Geography and Sociology
  • Billy Joe Evans, Chemistry
  • Stephen H. Sumida, English and American Culture