Earl B. Higgins Nomination Information

MUSC’s Office of Equity is pleased to invite nominations for the Earl B. Higgins Leadership in Diversity Awards. Established to honor the former director of minority affairs, the awards acknowledge the outstanding contributions, persistence, and dedication individual members of the MUSC community (students, faculty, staff, and healthcare professionals) have made towards enhancing and advancing diversity and inclusion at the Medical University of SC.

We seek nominations for three separate awards:

• The Earl B. Higgins University Achievement in Diversity Award
• The Earl B. Higgins Student Leadership in Diversity Award
• The Earl B. Higgins MUSC Health Leadership in Diversity Award (created in 2017)

Nominations for either award should be individuals who have contributed significantly to diversity in three of the following five areas:

• Enriches diversity through student, faculty, staff and/or patient recruitment, retention, and enrichment
• Improves/enhances diversity through excellence in service to students, faculty, staff, patients, families, or visitors
• Advances two or more of the several targeted areas of the equity strategic plan: education and training, engagement and inclusion, communications/community relations/outreach, and impacting performance outcomes and assessment
• Recognizes and takes initiative to act upon potential opportunities to significantly affect/influence the organization's academic health center environment as it pertains to embracing diversity
• Demonstrates an understanding of the benefits of diversity within MUSC and throughout the community and promotes outcomes that “create an inclusive experience for the lives we touch.”

Nominees Contributing in More Than Three Areas are Given Greater Consideration

Nominations must include the Nomination Form, a letter from the nominator, and two additional letters of endorsement for each nominee. Please attach letters of endorsement with the nomination form.

The due date for 2024 submissions is March 4, 2024 by 5:00 p.m. Electronic submissions to waltersr@musc.edu are recommended. Awardees will be announced in April of 2024.