Ellen Swallow Richards Public Service Award

The purpose of the Board on Health and Human Sciences Ellen Swallow Richards Public Service Award is to honor a nationally recognized leader who has a significant history of promoting and advancing the Human Sciences. It is likely that the nominees for the BHHS Ellen Swallow Richards Public Service Award will be individuals who have supported higher education, and especially the mission of the Human Sciences and other programs in land-grant universities. Although nominees may be Human Science scholars, it is not required.

The award is intended to recognize an outstanding leader who helps to advance the Human Sciences nationally and/or internationally. The award is named in honor of Ellen Swallow Richards, who dedicated her life to applying research to enhance the well-being of individuals, families and communities.

Eligibility and Nominations

Leaders who have earned recognition as advocates for the Human Sciences are eligible to be nominated for the award. Each BHHS member unit (college or university) is eligible to submit one nominee each year. Nominators shall compile a letter of nomination with a rationale for the candidate to be considered for the Public Service Award. Former recipients of the Public Service Award are ineligible for this award. The award will be presented at a special breakfast hosted by the Board on Health and Human Sciences at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities’ annual meeting. The award winner must be available to attend the meeting and speak to the organization. BHHS will provide travel expenses and appropriate recognition.

Procedure

Each BHHS affiliated college and university shall implement its own procedure for identifying nominees. Following a review of potential candidates, each BHHS member institution will nominate only ONE candidate for the BHHS Public Service Award. The Nomination Letter for this award shall be submitted electronically to bhhs@aplu.org as a single PDF document that includes:

1. a nomination letter detailing the candidate’s outstanding achievements and contributions to advancing the Human Sciences;
2. the nominee’s biography or vita; and,
3. up to three excerpts of relevant supporting materials.

Examples of supporting materials include: newspaper and journal articles, speeches presented, books and legislation or policy documents. All supporting materials must also be submitted electronically to bhhs@aplu.org. A BHHS review panel will evaluate and rank the nominees and recommend a recipient to the BHHS Board of Directors. Applications for 2023 BHHS awards are due September 1, 2023.

Public Service Award Recipients

2022
Jo Britt-Rankin

Extension Professor

University of Missouri​,
School of Health Professions

2021
Carolyn Jackson

Consultant

Carolyn Jackson Consulting

2020
Shiretta Ownbey

Professor and Graduate
Coordinator

Oklahoma State University,
College of Education and
Human Sciences

2019
Sonny
Ramaswamy

President and CEO

The Northwest Commission
on Colleges and Universities 

2018
Caroline Crocoll
Henney

Director

Division of Family and
Consumer Sciences,
National Institute of Food and
Agriculture

2017
Catherine Woteki

Former Under Secretary for
Research, Education, and
Economics, U.S.
Department of Agriculture

Dean Emeritus
College of Agriculture
Iowa State University

2016
Carol Kellett

Dean Emeritus
Kansas State University

2014
Barbara Thompson

Director 
Office of Family Policy/
Children & Youth/Special
Needs, Office of the Deputy
Assistant Secretary of
Defense

2013
Secretary Tom
Vilsack

U.S. Department of
Agriculture

2012
June Henton

Dean
College of Human Sciences, 
Auburn University

2011
Mary McPhail Gray

President
McPhail Consulting
Services, LLC

2009
Virginia Moxley

Dean
College of Human Ecology, 
Kansas State University