Donald Nease, Jr., MD, Director of Community Engagement for the Colorado Clinical & Translational Sciences Institute and Professor in the Department of Family Medicine, has been selected for membership in the Academy of Community Engagement Scholarship (ACES).
ACES is a renowned organization that recognizes outstanding leaders who unite academics and communities to create meaningful societal impact. Members of ACES lend their expertise to policymakers, higher education institutions, community leaders, and organizations—both nationally and internationally—who are working to address complex societal challenges through collaborative engagement.
“The Academy is both an honorary organization, in that you have to be nominated and elected to membership, and it seeks to advance Community Engagement work on university campuses,” Dr. Nease shared. “Members are encouraged to take an active role in the discussions that the Academy hosts regularly around Community Engagement, and I look forward to doing so myself.”
Dr. Nease expressed how meaningful this recognition is to him, calling it “a tremendous honor—and one I didn’t expect. My service to CCTSI, DFM and CU and the teams I've worked with has enabled all of this, and for that I'm very thankful.”
After the induction ceremony, which took place at the end of July, Dr. Nease reflected, “It was inspiring to hear about the accomplishments of my fellow new members. These are leaders making an impact both nationally and internationally.
This honor gave Dr. Nease an opportunity to reflect on why community engagement remains essential in healthcare and education.
“Especially now, Community Engagement is being questioned in some circles. However, I feel Community Engagement often is done in communities experiencing disproportionate impacts on health and is especially important as we seek to serve all people within the state of Colorado. Public institutions have a responsibility to serve all, and authentic and effective Community Engagement ensures that we do so.”
Congratulations to Dr. Nease on this well-deserved honor. We are proud of the meaningful work you continue to do in service of our communities.
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