Awards of Distinction Celebrate Brown School Alumni and Friends 4/16/2018 Alumni; Policy; Public Health; Social Work Share this Story: Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton welcomed the Brown School's awardees and distinguished guests — including former deans Edward F. Lawlor and Shanti K. Khinduka — to the 2018 Awards of Distinction. The 35th annual Brown School Awards of Distinction were presented April 10, honoring nine awardees for their work to advance the fields of social work, public health and social policy. In her remarks, Mary M. McKay, Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School, highlighted the connections between the nine honorees’ paths: Five of the honorees have used their Brown School degrees to impact governmental and policy change; Four of the honorees represent four consecutive graduation years, 1996 – 1999; Three honorees have supported the education of the next generation of social workers as adjunct instructors, and another served as the founding director of a school of social work; and Two of the honorees — Charita Castro-Gonzalves and Nisha Patel — attended the Brown School with the support of the prestigious Bettie Schroth Johnson Scholarship in Social Service Management. “But here is the most important common thread,” McKay said. “All nine honorees are deeply committed to equity, and I am honored to share their impact with you.” Hear Their Stories Charita L Castro-GonzalvesU.S. Department of Labor Donald M. LoppnowEastern Michigan University Nisha G. PatelUS Partnership on Mobility from Poverty Okpara RiceTanager Place Daniel DavisFederal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Cora Faith WalkerMissouri House of Representatives Emily Gallop Coen Christine Jubel Homan G.A., Jr. and Kathryn M. Buder Charitable Foundation Learn more about the Awards of Distinction and past recipients.