Michelle Stephens Honored with Champion in Global Health Award

Congratulations to Rutgers Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice Founding and Executive Director Michelle Stephens for being honored with the Rutgers Global Health Institute's Champion in Global Health Award for 2024!!

The Champion in Global Health is awarded to extraordinary leaders in our global fight for health equity who have made a significant difference in addressing health inequity in New Jersey and worldwide. 

Stephens was one of 3 recipients of the award presented by Rutgers Global Health Institute Director and Henry Rutgers Professor of Global Health, Richard Marlink, at the RGHI Membership virtual meeting on October 10, 2024. When presenting the award, Marlink said, "Michelle's creation and building of the Rutgers Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice is a testament to what an institution of higher learning can do to make a significant difference in an active, positive way. Moreover, her efforts to address racism will have a direct and positive effect on health and health equity in communities here and around the world, wherever racism exists." 

The other award recipients were John Damonti (President of the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation) and Brent Ruben (Founder and Senior University Fellow of the Center for Organizational Leadership).

In accepting the award, Stephens thanked Marlink, congratulated the other awardees, and added, "The challenge of creating a multi-campus university-wide entity that is a gathering space for different kinds of scholars became possible through the mentorship and inspiring leadership of Ric's model at RGHI. My personal thanks to Ric for his guidance in helping bolster my own efforts to create something similar within the Institute for the Study of Global Racal Justice. I am truly honored to accept this award."