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Faculty Awards

We are honored and humbled to have such an outstanding group of people as part of our Department of Family Medicine & Community Health team here at the University of Kansas Medical Center. These awards briefly touch on the prestige and care of faculty members who continuously display the vision and mission of our care.

Endowed Professorships

We are grateful for donors who have honored and encouraged our work for quality medical education and healthier communities with endowed professorships:

Allen Greiner

K. Allen Greiner, MD, MPH

Nason Family Endowed Professor in Family Medicine & Community Health  

Established in 2020 by the Nason Family to honor Corky Nason's grandfather, father and brother, all of whom were physicians with ties to the University of Kansas and Wyandotte County.

Funding aims to help KU invest in and retain faculty members with a commitment to serve Wyandotte County and train competent, compassionate and civically-engaged healthcare providers.

Mark Meyer

Mark Meyer, MD

Patterson Professor

Established in 2008 by the Patterson Family to honor KU School of Medicine alums Alice M. Patterson, MD and Harold L. Patterson, MD.  Dr. Mark Meyer was named the Patterson Professor in 2016.
Belinda Vail, MD

Belinda Vail, MD, MS, FAAFP

David M. Heuben Professor

Established through an estate gift from David M. Heuben, a longtime advocate for diabetes care and prevention in Kansas, the professorship aims to promote enhanced educational programs about diabetes.

Dr. Belinda Vail has held the professorship since 2014.

If you would like to contribute online to these professorships, visit the link below. 
List the name of the professorship you wish to support in the second box on the form.


Give Now


Endowed Professorship Annual Awards

Drs. Jennifer Woodward, Laurel Witt and Erin Corriveau

In 2022, the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health launched three new awards tied to each of the department's three endowed professorships to junior and mid-career faculty members whose work best embodies the mission of each professorship.


David M. Heuben Endowed Professorship Annual Awardees:
2022: Dr. Jennifer Woodward


Patterson Family Endowed Professorship Annual Awardees:
2022: Dr. Laurel Witt


Nason Family Endowed Professorship Annual Awardees:
2022: Dr. Erin Corriveau


Ruth Bohan Teaching Professorship

Greiner Bohan

The Ruth Bohan Teaching Professorship is the most prestigious teaching award in the School of Medicine. The award recognizes excellence in teaching and seeks to continue the tradition of outstanding education in the medical school.

2021 Dr. Laurel Witt
2020 Dr. Joseph LeMaster
2018 Dr. K. Allen Greiner
2013 Dr. Daniel Swagerty
2007 Dr. Belinda Vail

The Rainbow Award

The distinguished Rainbow Award honors those individuals who exemplify the attributes of professionalism in medicine and share those qualities with the students whom they mentor. Medical students nominate and select Rainbow Award recipients who they feel represents the characteristics that future physicians hope to possess one day. The award is presented during the annual A Grand Affair awards dinner.

2020-2021 Dr. Laurel Witt
2015-2016 Dr. Joseph LeMaster
2013-2014 Dr. Michael Kennedy
2008-2009 Dr. Mark Meyer
2002-2003 Dr. Belinda Vail

Nason Family Award for Excellence in Family Medicine Education

Nason Family Award Ceremony 2019

Nason Family Award for Excellence in Family Medicine Education at the University of Kansas Medical School. The awardee recieves this honor with recognition from students and coworkers for their outstanding passion in teaching others. This award has evolved into the Nason Family Endowed Professorship Award.

2019 Dr. Joseph LeMaster
2018 Dr. Patricia Fitzgibbons
2017 Dr. Margaret Smith
2016 Dr. Wendy Biggs
2015 Dr. James Birch
2014 Dr. Jana Zaudke
2013 Dr. Daniel Swagerty
2012 Dr. Hannah Maxfield
2011 Dr. Deborah Clements
2010 Dr. Allen Greiner
2009 Dr. John E. Delzell, Jr.
2008 Dr, Mary McDonald
2007 Dr. Mark Meyer
2006 Dr. Heidi Chumley
2005 Dr. Belinda Vail
2004 Dr. Michael Kennedy

Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award

Kennedy Chancellors Distinguished Teaching Award

The Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award recognizes and rewards demonstrated teaching ability of a clearly superlative nature. The award is given to a faculty member who contributes to the University and its students through excellence and outstanding classroom teaching.

2021 Belinda Vail, MD
2019 Michael Kennedy, MD
2018 Mark Meyer, MD
2014 Moya Peterson, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC
2013  Diane Ebbert, PhD, RN, APRN, FNP-BC


Lifetime Achievement in Mentoring Award

Lifetime Achievement in Mentoring Award is also called "The Jayhawk". This esteemed award recognizes faculty members who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to mentoring the School's junior faculty, residents and post-doctoral students. Nominated by their colleagues and learners, the recipient recognizes the vital role that mentoring plays in developing the next generation of medical educators.

2018 Dr. Belinda Vail

Marjorie S. Sirridge Award

Vail Sirridge Award

The  Marjorie S. Sirridge Award is given to acknowledge the contributions and accomplishments of women faculty in the KU School of Medicine, School of Nursing and the School of Health Professions. KUMC WIMS honors Dr. Sirridge by presenting this award to deserving women who manifest Dr. Sirridge's principles.

2018 Dr. Belinda Vail



Patricia A. Thomas Diversity & Inclusion Award

2018 Crystal Lumpkins, PhD


Vice Chancellor's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award

2021 Dr. Kristina Bridges
2018 Todd Moore
2016 Dr. Maria Alonso Luaces
2016 Center for American Indian Community Health (CAICH)
KU School of Medicine

University of Kansas Medical Center
Family Medicine & Community Health
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Mailstop 4010
Kansas City, KS 66160