The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM) has announced the recipients of the 2025 Dean’s Award for Inclusive Excellence, recognizing students, faculty, and staff who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to toward developing a more equitable and inclusive community. This marks the fourth year of the school’s tradition of honoring individuals for their contributions that may include volunteer work in the community, their mentorship of students, for establishing student clubs, for developing anti-bias training and much more. 

“I commend these individuals for their unwavering commitment to inclusive excellence at VTCSOM,” said Lee Learman, dean of VTCSOM. “Fostering an environment where everyone feels valued embodies the Virginia Tech Principles of Community, and prepares our medical students to welcome each other and the patients we serve with open arms.”

Inclusivity in medicine is associated with better patient care and contributes to health science workforce development, and VTCSOM continues to champion initiatives that reflect this understanding.

“It is critical for medical institutions to promote inclusion as a means to achieve equitable health care and health outcomes,” said Azziza Bankole, VTCSOM’s associate dean for inclusive excellence. “Honoring those who lead by example underscores our values as a school and encourages others to contribute meaningfully to this work.”

A group of five medical students stand in a line together.
From left: VTCSOM medical students Kenneth Young II, Aysha Alani, Calvin Harris, Carter Gottschalk, Alex In, and Katelyn Stebbins.

2025 Dean’s Award for Inclusive Excellence Recipients

The recipients of the 2025 Dean’s Award for Inclusive Excellence were nominated by their peers and selected by the school's Inclusive Excellence and Opportunity team.

Students:

  • Class of 2027: Aysha Alani, Calvin Harris
  • Class of 2026: Carter Gottschalk, Kenneth Young II
  • Class of 2025: Alex In, Navin Jayaswal

Postgraduate trainee:

  • Katelyn Stebbins
A woman and man stand together smiling.
Mary Wesley and Jed Gonzalo, the faculty recipients of the Dean's Award for Inclusive Excellence.

Faculty:

  •  Jed Gonzalo, Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education
  • Mary Wesley, Assistant Professor of Practice, Health Systems & Implementation Science

Staff:

  • Sophia Minor, PreMed Access Coordinator
  • Glenda Dalton, Assistant Director of Finance
Two women stand together smiling.
Glenda Dalton and Sophia Minor, the staff recipients of the Dean's Award for Inclusive Excellence.

2025 Aequitas Health Equity Honor Society Inductees

In addition to the Dean’s Award for Inclusive Excellence recipients, VTCSOM also announced the 2025 inductees into the Aequitas Health Equity Honor Society, recognizing individuals who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to advancing health equity.

Students:

  • Rishihta Anumola
  • Lillian Brouwer
  • Kenneth Young II

Faculty:

  • Muhammad Yousaf, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine

From tutoring literacy for local immigrant and refugee communities to organizing cultural awareness events, these individuals exemplify VTCSOM’s mission to train future healthcare leaders who are as dedicated to health equity as they are to clinical excellence.

Two men and two women stand together smiling.
From left: Aequitas Health Equity Honor Society inductees Muhammad Yousaf, Lillian Brouwer, Rishihta Anumola, and Kenneth Young II.

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