The UMass Office of Equity and Inclusion is proud to announce the Professor John H. Bracey Jr. Leadership Awards, to be presented to three outstanding members of the UMass Amherst community at the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Brunch on January 20, 2026. Nominations will be accepted until December 15, 2025.
The Professor John H. Bracey Jr. Awards (formerly the Chancellor’s Leadership Awards) honor the lasting legacy and impact of an innovative scholar, mentor, community member, and activist. These awards are crafted with the intention to recognize contributions by University students, staff, and faculty who, like Professor Bracey, foster a more equitable and inclusive campus community.
The three award winners will each receive a $1,500 prize and plaque of recognition.
The Professor John H. Bracey Jr. Awards (formerly the Chancellor’s Leadership Awards) honor the lasting legacy and impact of an innovative scholar, mentor, community member, and activist. These awards are crafted with the intention to recognize contributions by University students, staff, and faculty who, like Professor Bracey, foster a more equitable and inclusive campus community.
The three award winners will each receive a $1,500 prize and plaque of recognition.
About the Awards
The Professor John H. Bracey Jr. Emerging Student Leader Award is open to any current full-time student (graduate or undergraduate) at UMass Amherst who has a proven record of leading initiatives that facilitate change to improve the experiences of marginalized and underrepresented groups.
The Professor John H. Bracey Jr. Emerging Leader Award is open to any current full-time postdoc, faculty or staff member with less than 5 years of service at UMass Amherst who has a proven record of leading initiatives that facilitate change to improve the experiences of marginalized and underrepresented groups.
The Professor John H. Bracey Jr. Transformational Leadership Award is open to any full-time faculty, staff member or administrator who has demonstrated a commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion on campus over a sustained period of time during their tenure.
Learn more about the awards and nomination process.
The Professor John H. Bracey Jr. Emerging Leader Award is open to any current full-time postdoc, faculty or staff member with less than 5 years of service at UMass Amherst who has a proven record of leading initiatives that facilitate change to improve the experiences of marginalized and underrepresented groups.
The Professor John H. Bracey Jr. Transformational Leadership Award is open to any full-time faculty, staff member or administrator who has demonstrated a commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion on campus over a sustained period of time during their tenure.
Learn more about the awards and nomination process.