Division of Student Success
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University of Nebraska Medical Center

2025 ITEACH Awards

The fourth annual ITEACH awards were held on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, to recognize UNMC students, faculty and staff for their contributions to campus, student and community life. Congratulations to these award winners.

The awards are sponsored by the UNMC Office of Community Engagement, SLIDO and the UNMC Student Senate.

D.J. and Janet Thayer Family Global Engagement Award

This award is intended to foster the growth and development of collaborations in global health and global engagement among full-time faculty at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Global health and engagement encompass the various means by which faculty connect UNMC with the international community through their teaching, research, and service. 

2025 Winner - Shannon Maloney, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Health Promotion, College of Public Health
Maloney was recognized for a proposal that seeks to establish an international research collaborative between UNMC and one or more research institutions in India to advance the health and wellbeing of mothers both domestically and internationally. 

Student Impact Award

The Student Impact Award recognizes a student who embodies leadership qualities and provides a positive influence on the education and overall experience of UNMC students. One recipient is selected from each college.

2025 Winners

  • College of Medicine - Caitlin Molczyk
    Molczyk was recognized for her role in founding the Women in Academia Mentorship Program at UNMC.

  • College of Pharmacy - Sovit Gurung
    Gurung was recognized for his guidance and leadership in establishing a study group for his peers who were taking the rigorous Pharmaceutical Science course.

  • College of Public Health - Rahel Sileshi
    Sileshi was recognized for her consistent willingness to go above and beyond to help other students reach their goals as an SI Leader within the College of Public Health.

  • Graduate Studies - Evie Ehrhorn
    Ehrhorn was recognized for her exceptional leadership as president of the Graduate Student Association, where she launched UNMC’s first Interprofessional Education Simulation Event in partnership with Student Senate and iEXCEL, organized alumni networking events, collaborated with groups like HEAL and ISA on cultural and sustainability initiatives, and advocated for improvements in shuttle service and health insurance access.

Distinguished Mentor Award

The Distinguished Mentor Award recognizes a full or part-time faculty member who serves as a role model to students, demonstrating high professional and ethical standards.

2025 Winner - Dr. Vinai Thomas
Dr. Thomas, known for his deep expertise in microbiology, was recognized for his extraordinary commitment to student development, offering hands-on guidance and making complex topics accessible and engaging.

Distinguished Teacher Award

The Distinguished Teacher Aware recognizes a full or part-time faculty member who goes above and beyond to provide excellent education to students.

2025 Winner - Dr. Matt Vilburn
Dr. Vilburn was recognized for fostering a supportive and empathetic learning environment and for his innovative work in anatomy education, including introducing 3D-printed neuroanatomy models and holographic theater content with the support of iEXCEL.

Advisor of the Year Award

The Advisor of the Year Award recognizes a faculty advisor who oversees a recognized student organization. This award celebrates the hard work, dedication and lifelong learning that the person provides to the student group while upholding the iTEACH values.

2025 Winners: 

  • Liliana Bronner (Recruit, Encourage, and Advance in Healthcare Careers – REACH)
    Dr. Bronner was recognized for her dedication, support and mentoring as the advisor for the REACH student group, an interprofessional community volunteer and engagement organization that provides a pool of volunteers and speakers for local schools.
  • Dr. Nicole Martino (Advisor: Student Occupational Therapy Association – SOTA)
    Dr. Martino was recognized for her encouragement to think innovatively, streamline processes, and increase collaboration as the advisor for the Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA), which promotes professional development through education, leadership opportunities, networking, volunteer and social activities, and fundraising for occupational therapy students.
  • Emily Brandt (Advisor: International Student Association – ISA)
    Brandt was recognized for her enthusiasm and support as the advisor for the International Student Association (ISA), which hosted major international events throughout the year such as International Student Week and Holi.

Collaboration Awards

The Collaboration Awards recognize a group of organizations (two or more) that have successfully worked together to sponsor or host an event, program or act of service that has benefited the UNMC campus community.

  • Gold Winner – UNMC Healthy Earth Alliance
    The UNMC Healthy Earth Alliance (HEAL) group was recognized for its collaboration with other student organization and UNMC offices to advocate for sustainability on campus by hosting climate change and human health speakers, park clean ups, an annual clothing swap event, and campus Earth Week events.  
  • Silver Winner – Asian American and Pacific Islander Student Association
    The AAPI Student Association was recognized for its collaboration with other student organizations and UNMC offices to foster a meaningful connection and cultural exchange between students who identify as AAPI and those who are interested in learning about the AAPI community through events like the annual Lunar New Year celebration for the entire UNMC community. 
  • Bronze Winner – International Student Association
    The International Student Association (ISA) was recognized for its collaboration with other student organizations and UNMC offices to host six events for International Education Week last November.

Community Impact Award

The Community Impact Award recognizes a community organization that extends UNMC core values through creation of health care initiatives that are impactful and sustainable in the community.

2025 Winners:

  • Gold Award: Harm Reduction Advocates
    The Harm Reduction Advocates organization was recognized for their work in educating future healthcare professionals and community members about negative biases, stigma reduction and harm reduction strategies with a goal of promoting quality care.
  • Silver Award: Graduate Student Association (GSA)
    This group was recognized for actively engaging with local and UNMC organizations to identify and address environmental and social needs and priorities.
  • Bronze Award: Asian American Pacific Islander Student Association (AAPISA)
    This group provided consistent educational programming and social gatherings for interaction and cultural immersion, fostering connections among attendees and promoting understanding of AAPI culture for the campus.

Faculty Advisor Excellence in Engagement Award

The Faculty Advisor Excellence in Engagement award recognizes excellence in community engagement by UNMC faculty and for providing exceptional service to students, their colleagues and/or UNMC.

2025 Winners:

  • Kevin McGuire, MHPTT, MLS(ASCP)CM
    As a faculty member in the Medical Lab Sciences (MLS) department of the College of Allied Health Professions and as a co-chair for the SHARING Clinics Faculty Board, McGuire was recognized for his instrumental role in the success of the student-run SHARING Clinics, which provide vital healthcare to uninsured individuals in Omaha.
  • Ronda Rankin,NIC, CoreCHITM, CAHS Consulting for Deaf-Centric Hospital
    As a nationally certified sign language interpreter at Children's Hospital, Rankin was recognized for her partnership with UNMC's SAPA student organization and the Deaf and hard of hearing community to bring the impactful Deaf-Centric Hospital initiative to UNMC’s campus, making UNMC only the second medical school in the nation to offer such experiential learning to its students.

Staff Excellence in Engagement Award

The Staff Excellence in Engagement Award recognizes excellence in community engagement by UNMC staff and for providing exceptional service to students, their colleagues and/or UNMC.

  • Gold Award: Marquita Govan
    Govan was recognized for her exceptional leadership in community engagement through impactful initiatives like the record-breaking Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Program and collaborative HIV/AIDS awareness events.
  • Silver Award: LaTrese Rideout, MA, BS, CHW, Center for Reducing Health Disparities
    Rideout is recognized for her role as a vital bridge between UNMC and the North Omaha community, fostering relationships, sharing crucial information, and understanding community needs.
  • Bronze Award: Erin Wirth
    Wirth was recognized for her work on the Dental Health Kit packing program, which provides essential oral care education and supplies to patients at hospitals and clinics.

Community Health Education Award

The Office of Community Engagement presents the Community Health Education award to recognize student organizations that extend UNMC’s core values through demonstration of exemplary contribution to the development of educational health care services or programming to community agencies, schools or organizations.

2025 Winners:

  • Gold Award: REACH Student Organization (Recruit, Encourage, and Advance Careers in Healthcare)
    REACH was recognized for its LEAP program, which provides mentorship and advising meetups facilitated by current UNMC medical students to help undergraduate participants prepare for medical school applications. The group was also recognized for coordinating health career exploration fairs and presentations at local high schools, extending its impact beyond undergraduates to K-12 students and educators.
  • Silver Award: Healthy Earth Alliance (HEAL)
    The HEAL organization was recognized for initiatives like the comprehensive Planetary Health Report Card, the successful advocacy for the "Climate Change and Health" enhanced medical education track, and for engaging lunch-and-learn sessions designed to foster community awareness and integrate planetary health into the curriculum.
  • Bronze Award: Computer and Data Science in Medicine Club
    Recognizing the challenges faced by first-year medical students, this student organization was recognized for developing over 10,000 comprehensive Anki digital flashcards to aid in student studies and offered coding and data analysis workshops.