Equity Trailblazer Award

Baylor College of Medicine fosters diversity among its students, trainees, faculty and staff as a prerequisite to accomplishing our institutional mission and setting standards for excellence in training healthcare providers and biomedical scientists, promoting scientific innovation, and providing patient-centered care.

• Diversity, respect, and inclusiveness create an environment that is conducive to academic excellence, and strengthens our institution by increasing talent, encouraging creativity, and ensuring a broader perspective.
• Diversity helps position Baylor to reduce disparities in health and healthcare access and to better address the needs of the community we serve.
• Baylor is committed to recruiting and retaining outstanding students, trainees, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds by providing a welcoming, supportive learning environment for all members of the Baylor community.

The Equity Trailblazer Award has been established to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions and accomplishments in moving Baylor toward being a more diverse and inclusive community above and beyond their generally anticipated scope of responsibilities as a staff, faculty, trainee or student. Recipients will demonstrate this commitment through leadership in recruitment, retention and advancement efforts, teaching, mentoring, research, multi-cultural programming, cultural competency and humility, community outreach activities and /or other initiatives.

Examples of Significant Contributions and Accomplishments include:

• Demonstrates an active commitment to the recruitment, development and mentorship of students, trainees, staff and/or faculty from diverse backgrounds
• Demonstrates a sustained interest and commitment to an inclusive academic biomedical and health sciences community through program development, curriculum development, etc.
• Demonstrates a sustained commitment to research that focuses on the impact of diverse backgrounds and disparities among diverse populations
• Participates in and leads activities that facilitate the culture of diversity and inclusiveness in the College

Award recipients will be honored at a ceremony in April during Celebrate Diversity Month and/or other appropriate occasions. Individual award recipients will receive a cash award net of any taxes.

Baylor College of Medicine faculty, staff, students or trainees in any mission area who meet the award criteria and have been an employee or trainee for at least one year. The nominee must also be in good standing with the College.

NOTE: The Equity Trailblazer Award may only be awarded once, except in the case of a student or trainee who later is considered as a faculty or staff member at Baylor.

Any Baylor community member may nominate a Baylor student, trainee, faculty or staff for a Equity Trailblazer Award by submitting a complete nomination packet by the deadline. Self nominations are not permitted. Nomination packets must include the following:

1. Nomination cover sheet filled out by the nominator and signed by the nominee’s supervisor endorsing the nomination.
2. Three letters as follows:
   • A nomination letter (not to exceed two pages) specifying the individual’s contributions and accomplishments. The primary nomination may be submitted by any member (or group of members) of the faculty, staff, students or trainees at Baylor. The primary nominator will be the point of contact and will collect and submit all components of the nomination packet.
   • A letter of recommendation from the nominee’s peer or supervisor (external or internal).
   • A letter of recommendation from a Baylor institutional leader familiar with the nominee’s efforts (for example, department chair or vice chair, academic center director, division or section chief, program director or school dean).
   • Letters should include specific examples of the contributions and accomplishments of the nominee towards meeting the award criteria.
3. Nominee’s Curriculum Vitae/Resume
   • Faculty applicants: Download the sample BCM-formatted CV for Faculty. This format is not required, but the overall format is preferred.
   • Staff applicants: Download the sample BCM-formatted Resume for Staff. This format is not required, but the overall format is preferred.
4. Supporting documents (up to two optional documents) that provide specific evidence and showcase how the nominee meets the award criteria. Additional LORs are not permitted.

The Equity Trailblazer Award is administered by the Office of Community Engagement & Health Equity. The Awards Selection Committee includes members of the Baylor Inclusion and Excellence Council. Nomination packets must be submitted to Dr. Erik Malmberg, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (institutionaldiversity@bcm.edu) by 5 p.m. on April 30, 2022. The Equity Trailblazer Awards Selection Committee reviews all complete nominations and choose one faculty, one staff, one trainee and one student awardee per year.

Inquiries/questions: Erik D. Malmberg, Ph.D., J.D., Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Baylor College of Medicine, institutionaldiversity@bcm.edu, or 713-798-1546.