Awarded 2026-2030
The Dorothy L. Hornberger Health Equity Leadership Award in Public Health is an award to recognize junior- or senior-level undergraduate Public Health majors who have demonstrated leadership and measurable impact in addressing health disparities and improving health outcomes in underserved communities.
Award Selection
It is awarded by the head of the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, and the Department of Nutrition & Public Health Sciences with input from public health faculty.
Award amount
Two $1,000 awards per academic year for five years, starting in spring 2026
Donor Information
Joel Hornberger, a founding leader and long-time C-suite executive of River Valley Health (formerly Cherokee Health Systems), a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that provides access to high-quality integrated primary care and behavioral health, dental, optometry, and pharmacy to about 64,000 people in East Tennessee. Joel regularly volunteers his time to teach, recruit, and inspire public health students at the University of Tennessee. The award is named for Joel’s mother, a nurse who was strongly committed to providing care to anyone.
Recipients
Spring 2026 (Year 1)
Nomination submitted by Tori Wagner-Greene and Julie Grubaugh; Approved by Dr. Sunil.
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McKenzie Nguyen
McKenzie Nguyen (LinkedIn)
We are pleased to award McKenzie Nguyen with the Dorothy L. Hornberger Health Equity Leadership Award in Public Health. A Chancellor’s Honors Program student and senior majoring in Public Health, she is a highly analytical, articulate, and engaged leader who has demonstrated measurable impact in addressing health disparities and improving health outcomes in underserved communities. In the Introduction to Public Health course, she contributed to a top-ranked Public Service Announcement focused on improving healthcare providers’ responses to patients with low income, applying social determinants of health and equity-centered strategies. She further demonstrated leadership by guiding a six-person team analysis of the healthcare system in Chad that emphasized structural determinants of health and equity-informed recommendations. Beyond coursework, she advanced community health practice through her BSPH internship with UT Medical Center’s Community Health Initiatives, where she contributed to writing and editing the 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment to help identify local health disparities. As the first in her immigrant family to pursue a college education, her commitment to health equity is informed by personal experience navigating language and access barriers, reinforced through more than 200 hours of community service, as well as her work supporting access to health information at the Preston Medical Library. This spring, she also led efforts to recruit University of Tennessee students to serve as poll workers for the May primary elections, recognizing civic engagement as a social determinant of health and promoting equitable representation. McKenzie has a passion to help communities with equitable access to healthcare regardless of individual characteristics, socioeconomic background, and geographic location. -
Laila Harper
Laila Harper (LinkedIn)
We are pleased to award Laila Harper with the Dorothy L. Hornberger Health Equity Leadership Award in Public Health. A senior majoring in Public Health, she has demonstrated leadership and meaningful engagement in addressing health disparities and supporting inclusive campus and community environments. Laila has been actively involved in multiple organizations that promote service, leadership, and representation, including the University of Tennessee Knoxville Ambassador program, the Volunteer Team (Vol Team), Multicultural Enhancement for the University of Tennessee (ME4UT), the Jones Center for Leadership and Service Ignite Team, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Through her role as an Ignite Team Leader, she has facilitated team-building, diversity education, and leadership development for incoming students, fostering a supportive and inclusive campus environment. She also served as Director of Risk Management for the National Pan-Hellenic Council at UTK, helping review chapter events, support large-scale programming, and strengthen accountability processes to ensure safe and successful community activities. Additionally, her work as a Student Trained Admissions Representative (STAR) in the Undergraduate Admissions Vol Corps has involved hosting prospective students and families from across the country and engaging diverse audiences in recruitment and outreach efforts. Laila further demonstrated her commitment to advancing opportunities for underrepresented students through participation in the Summer Health Professions Education Program, an immersive initiative focused on academic enrichment and career development. Laila is specifically interested in community health, prevention, and health equity. She cares about how access, education, and support can impact the lives of others. Her professional goal is to become a public health nurse. Collectively, her leadership, service, and commitment to inclusive engagement reflect the intent of the Dorothy L. Hornberger Health Equity Leadership Award in Public Health.
