Monica Torres Chancellor of NMSU System Community Colleges | nmsu.edu
Monica Torres Chancellor of NMSU System Community Colleges | nmsu.edu
Jagdish Khubchandani, a public health professor at New Mexico State University (NMSU), has been honored with a national mentoring award by the American Public Health Association. Khubchandani, who became part of NMSU's College of Health, Education, and Social Transformation in 2020, was awarded the Lyndon Haviland Mentoring Award on October 28 during the association's annual meeting in Minneapolis.
The award acknowledges the significance of mentoring in public health and leadership development. It is presented to senior public health practitioners or academics who actively mentor students and young professionals through regular contact, professional development, or research support.
Kavita Batra, executive director of Medical Research and Scholarly Activities for the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, nominated Khubchandani for this accolade. “Dr. Khubchandani’s mentorship goes beyond classroom instruction; it’s about building relationships and inspiring others,” Batra said. “He has a unique gift for seeing potential in others and nurturing them with kindness and wisdom. His impact is felt deeply, reminding us that the heart of public health lies in the connections we cultivate.”
Since joining NMSU, Khubchandani has been instrumental in launching the university’s first peer mental health program for students. He has also sponsored students for prestigious national awards and published research with them that gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Elizabeth England-Kennedy, an assistant professor of public health at NMSU who supported his nomination, remarked on his influence: “This is a very prestigious national award, and Dr. Khubchandani is an inspirational role model and mentor for students and faculty alike, especially those who are first-generation.” She added that his empathetic leadership contributes to NMSU's status as a leader in public health education.
Another nominator described Khubchandani as a “triple treat and the ideal 21st-century public health scholar, educator and practitioner.”
Khubchandani has previously received several accolades including the Indiana Governor’s Award on Service Learning, Society for Public Health Education’s Karen Denard Goldman Health Education Mentor Award, and Dorothy Nyswander Health Equity Award.
In response to receiving this latest honor, Khubchandani stated: “I accept this award on behalf of NMSU students who continue to inspire me, give me more perspective for life every day, and bring deeper meaning to my work. I have no existence without our students.”
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