Our University’s Most Prestigious Awards
The Samuel Merritt University (SMU) Health Impact Awards are the University's most prestigious awards honoring the outstanding and significant accomplishments of students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters of health sciences and healthcare.
The SMU Health Impact Awards program is currently accepting nominations and recipients will be honored at an in-person celebration spring 2025. We invite you to nominate an outstanding SMU graduate or friend of the University for one of the awards! The nomination deadline is December 2, 2024. Please submit your nomination by clicking the form below.
Preview the Nomination Requirements Here
Your answers should be as concise as possible (limited to 800 words each) yet detailed enough to help us understand their contributions in the selected category. Letters of support are not required, but if you wish to submit any, please send them to: alumniaffairs@samuelmerritt.edu.
Recognition categories:
Distinguished Alumni Award – Recognizing SMU alumni who have achieved a significant body of professional accomplishment and/or service in health sciences and healthcare. These remarkable alumni are exemplary in a range of areas that may include their healthcare or medical practice, research, professional achievements, and service to the University or community.
Innovative Leadership Award – Recognizing alumni and friends of the University who contribute to health sciences or medicine through significant innovation and/or entrepreneurial endeavors.
Outstanding Service Award – Recognizing students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends whose volunteer activities contribute significantly to SMU, health sciences, medicine, and/or the health of specific communities.
Recent Graduate Impact Award – Recognizing alumni who graduated within the last decade and whose leadership, innovation, and achievements in health sciences, and/or impact to benefit a community in need are especially notable.
Spirit of SMU Award – Recognizing a current student who exemplifies the SMU mission by positively influencing the experience of care in our communities.
Distinguished Friend of the University – Recognizing volunteers and friends of SMU who have made noteworthy contributions to the vitality and advancement of the University and/or the fields of health sciences and medicine.
Nomination Prompts:
- Tell us why your nominee deserves recognition through the SMU Health Impact Awards.
- How has your nominee contributed to health sciences and healthcare, including service to SMU and/or the community? Please provide specific examples.
- What impact has your nominee had in the fields of health sciences or medicine in the community or at SMU? Please provide specific examples.
- Is there anything else you would like us to know about your nominee?
Our SMU community is the embodiment of our core values—advancing health equity, serving the public, and delivering compassionate care. The collective efforts of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters make a lasting, positive difference in the communities we serve. We invite you to celebrate the remarkable individuals who make SMU truly exceptional.”
Dr. Ching-Hua Wang
President and CEO of Samuel Merritt University
About the Awards
Launched in 2023, the SMU Health Impact Awards program honors exemplary SMU students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends who have made significant contributions to health sciences or healthcare by virtue of their professional activities and/or community service, or who have demonstrated exceptional promise for outstanding future achievements.
Recipients will be determined by the SMU president following recommendations from a selection committee representing the diversity of the University, including the Deans of the Colleges of Health Sciences, Nursing, and Podiatric Medicine or their designees, as well as faculty, staff, alumni, and student representatives. Recipients highly encouraged to attend the SMU Health Impact Awards recognition event so we may collectively celebrate their accomplishments. Any posthumous recognition must be approved in advance by the recipient’s family.
Nominations for the 2025 awards will be accepted through December 2, 2024. Please direct any questions to University Advancement at alumniaffairs@samuelmerritt.edu.
Distinguished Alumni Award
Recognizing SMU alumni who have achieved a significant body of professional accomplishment and/or service in health sciences and healthcare. These remarkable alumni are exemplary in a range of areas that may include their healthcare or medical practice, research, professional achievements, and service to the University or community.
Innovative Leadership Award
Recognizing alumni and friends of the University who contribute to health sciences or medicine through significant innovation and/or entrepreneurial endeavors.
Outstanding Service Award
Recognizing alumni and friends whose volunteer activities contribute significantly to SMU, health sciences, medicine, and/or the health of specific communities.
Recent Graduate Impact Award
Recognizing alumni who graduated within the last decade and whose leadership, innovation, and achievements in health sciences, and/or impact to benefit a community in need are especially notable.
Spirit of SMU Award
Recognizing a current student who exemplifies the SMU mission by positively influencing the experience of care in our communities.
Distinguished Friend of the University
Recognizing volunteers and friends of SMU who have made noteworthy contributions to the vitality and advancement of the University and/or the fields of health sciences and medicine.