This spring, the Margaret Cuninggim Women鈥檚 Center named six people in the Vanderbilt community as recipients of its annual awards.
罢丑别听Margaret听Cuninggim听Women鈥檚 Center Leadership Award听honors an undergraduate or graduate student who听demonstrates听leadership in activities that contribute to the achievements,听interests听and goals of women or that promote gender equity. This year, two students were recognized with this award.听
厂丑谤别别测补听惭辞辞濒补尘补濒濒补, Class of 2027, with majors in molecular and cellular biology and medicine, health, and society and a minor in South Asian culture, is the first Leadership Award recipient. She has worked with campus organizations like Active Minds and Embrace, and Moolamalla has made a particular impact as a resident adviser. In this role, she 鈥渉as led programming and mentorship for 45 female residents annually, creating intentional spaces where women can openly discuss academic pressure, mental health, relationships and belonging.鈥� According to her nominator, Moolamalla鈥檚 leadership 鈥渙perates at multiple levels: interpersonal, organizational and structural. She does not simply participate in conversations about gender equity; she builds programs, partnerships and systems that challenge stigma, increase access and empower women with knowledge and community.鈥� By modeling leadership that is 鈥済rounded in accountability and empowerment,鈥� Moolamalla 鈥渄irectly challenges cultural narratives that encourage women to endure stress silently, replacing them with systems of visible support.鈥�
The second Leadership Award recipient is听Magdalen Asbury, Class of 2027, a student in the听master of science听in听nurse-midwifery program at Vanderbilt School of Nursing, where she serves as a听volunteer birth听doula, a placental health researcher, and nursing co-director of the Shade Tree Early Pregnancy Program Clinic.鈥疉s one of her nominators explains, Asbury 鈥減ossesses an innate capacity to connect with patients at the bedside鈥攁 skill that cannot be taught and is increasingly rare among emerging clinicians.鈥澨齌hrough her leadership roles in STEPP and her volunteer work as a doula, Asbury actively addresses health care disparities and ensures that vulnerable populations receive compassionate, comprehensive care. One of her nominators explains that Asbury was 鈥渋nstrumental in strengthening STEPP鈥檚 partnership with a local diaper bank, expanding tangible support for new mothers navigating financial hardship.鈥� Another letter of support describes Asbury鈥檚 patient advocacy as a doula,听stating听that, because of her leadership, 鈥渨e are working to better define the doula鈥檚 role in emergency care and revisiting training for VUMC labor and delivery nurses on trauma-informed care in emergencies.鈥�
罢丑别听Mentoring Award honors a member of the Vanderbilt University community who fosters the professional and intellectual development of Vanderbilt women.听This year,听three听people are being recognized.
罢丑别听first recipient of the Mentoring Award is听Xiu Cravens, professor of the practice of leadership,听policy听and organizations at Peabody College. One of her nominators writes that Cravens is 鈥渄eeply committed to cultivating an environment of intellectual curiosity, critical thinking and academic rigor.鈥� This supporter explains that Cravens鈥� 鈥渋nsightful feedback, attention to detail and unwavering support were instrumental in refining my research and analytical skills,听ultimately leading听to the successful completion鈥� of a project as well as to 鈥渕y current professional career.鈥� Another nominator notes Cravens鈥� 鈥減rofound understanding of the diverse realities her students navigate鈥攑articularly women balancing professional ambitions, academic rigor and family responsibilities.鈥� According to this nominator, 鈥淲hat distinguishes Dr. Cravens is her ability to recognize when students need encouragement as much as instruction.鈥� Another supporter remarked on the 鈥渨armth and care鈥� Cravens extends to her students, 鈥渆specially to international students.鈥�
Andrea Locke, assistant professor of chemistry and biomedical engineering, is the second recipient of the Mentoring Award. Her nominator writes of Locke鈥檚 ongoing investment in mentoring Ph.D. students, undergraduates and even听a high school student. One letter of support describes Locke鈥檚 mentorship as 鈥渞elational, continuous and rooted in a sincere desire to see women succeed not only academically, but as confident leaders who contribute meaningfully to their disciplines and communities.鈥� Another supporter, recalling her own misunderstanding of a statistical analysis technique, remarked that Locke 鈥渃almly welcomed [her] into her office鈥� and taught her about the method she misunderstood. As this student states: 鈥淒r. Locke has consistently created an environment where mistakes are treated as learning opportunities rather than failures. As a woman in engineering, I have often felt pressure to prove that I belong in technical spaces. Dr. Locke actively counters that narrative. She reinforces that I am capable, that I deserve to be in the room, and that my ideas have value.鈥�
The third recipient of the Mentoring Award is听Brenda McKenzie, associate professor of the practice of leadership,听policy听and organizations. Her nominator writes that McKenzie mentors students and junior colleagues in 鈥溾�榖ig moments鈥欌�攋ob searches, interview preparation, thesis defenses, career transitions, promotions鈥攜et is equally听attentive to the small moments, the quiet and often invisible day-to-day work of support,听encouragement听and empowerment.鈥� One recommender speaks about the way McKenzie invited her to co-present at conferences and co-author book chapters. Another recommender听describes how McKenzie included her on a project: 鈥淏renda took the time to teach me advanced qualitative theory development, share her expertise, and push me further in my education simply because she cared.鈥澨鼳nother supporter describes McKenzie鈥檚 鈥渞are ability to push her students to think outside the confines of their preconceived futures, challenging us to envision broader, more ambitious roles for ourselves within the landscape of higher education.鈥�
罢丑别听Mary Jane听Werthan听Award is presented annually to someone who has contributed significantly to the advancement of women at Vanderbilt University. The award honors three qualities characteristic of the first recipient for whom it is named: vision,听persistence听and extraordinary skill in interpersonal and institutional relations.
This year鈥檚 recipient of the Mary Jane听Werthan听Award is听Michelle Bukowski,听program manager at the Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering. A recommender highlights听Bukowski鈥檚 鈥渞emarkable leadership,听dedication听and unwavering commitment to empowering听women in STEM.鈥� After听seeing the need for a women鈥檚 group in VISE, Bukowski听鈥渢ook the initiative years ago to start the Women of VISE, a group that fosters the success and fellowship of women in the institute鈥�; in addition, she created 鈥渁 framework where the women of the institution could lead their own community.鈥� A supporter explains that Bukowski 鈥渉as gone above and beyond the scope of her role to promote the advancement of women across our institution and has continuously identified areas for growth and taken action to improve our community.鈥� One of her recommenders notes how, during an event, Bukowski went 鈥渙ut of her way to make students like myself feel seen, welcomed and supported,鈥� speaking 鈥渢o each participant personally, introducing people with common interests, checking in on new researchers, and celebrating the successes of the women present.鈥� Through her work听establishing听Women of VISE, Bukowski has shown that 鈥渢he advancement of women at Vanderbilt, on a systematic level, requires effort from those within and also around the community.鈥�听
Award recipients听were听recognized at a lunch on听Monday, April听20.听
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