2023
2023 McBride Awards
Named for Dwight A. McBride, PhD, former Daniel Hale Williams Professor of African American Studies, English & Performance Studies, Dean of The Graduate School, and Associate Provost for Graduate Education from 2010 to 2017, this award recognizes one outstanding TGS student and one postdoctoral trainee who go above and beyond in any or all of the areas of diversity, service, and engagement: the strategic priorities McBride worked to foster in the graduate community at Northwestern.
This year, the award committee selected two award recipients for the student award.
Brandon Alston | PhD Candidate, Department of Sociology
Student Award Co-Recipient
“Brandon is a scholar that uses research as a launching point for mentorship and community service. His willingness to take on countless roles and opportunities to better the world and others attest to his commitment to enhancing academic and social environments as inclusive spaces safe for marginalized people. Brandon is a community-involved and student-centered scholar who reflects the best of Northwestern because he centers diversity, students, and service in his approaches to addressing social inequalities.”
Kavitha Chintam | PhD Candidate, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Student Award Co-Recipient
“Kavitha is driven to be a leader and routinely demonstrates her deep commitment to actions and people that she believes in. Her work is guided by her passion to bring justice and equity to all persons and communities, through scholarly research and technology development, as well as personal service and advocacy. She holds strong principles and core values that guide her decisions and interactions with others, exemplifying her integrity and authenticity.”
Catherine Majors, PhD | Kirschstein-NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Postdoctoral Trainee Award
“Catherine is not just a good researcher, manager, [and] leader but a wonderful human, too. She is a compassionate human and always makes herself available to people for help. I nominate her for the McBride award because I know that she can make a difference in the field of research, not just with writing wonderful scientific proposals but also with creating a positive work environment. She is a good team player, manager, and a passionate researcher.”