Associate dean for academic affairs and professor Dr. Darcell Scharff, has been awarded the SOPHE Trophy by the Society for Public Health Education. Presented by SOPHE President Dr. Sandra Bulmer, the SOPHE Trophy is given to honor a member who has devoted substantial service to the Society.

[Photo: Dr. Darcell Scharff]

First given in 1996, the SOPHE Trophy honors its recipient as an “Unsung SOPHE Hero.” Among other areas, Dr. Scharff has served as Chair of the SOPHE Awards Committee for over four years, working to more than double the awards program, including 17 competitively nominated, peer-reviewed and judged awards.

“Darcy has done a phenomenal job of overseeing the Awards processes and ensuring each nomination is evaluated objectively and thoughtfully,” said Bulmer, Professor at Southern Connecticut State University.

Dr. Scharff started the Midwest chapter of SOPHE along with Dr. Kathleen Wright, also a faculty member at the College for Public Health and Social Justice. “Because SOPHE is still a relatively small organization, you can sit on committees and present your work to the leaders in the field,” said Dr. Scharff. “SOPHE feels like a family in a lot of ways because it is the only professional organization for health educators.”

Dr. Scharff has been on faculty at Saint Louis University since 1997, where she teaches and conducts award-winning community-based research in health promotion and maternal & child health.