Awards & Grants

PCCHA Recognition Awards

PCCHA offers several awards to honor colleagues and campus programs.

See below for information on PCCHA grants.

ACHA Affiliate New Professional Award

Presented for the first time in 2002, this ACHA award recognizes members who have provided service to the field of college health for five years or less and who have made significant contributions to their institution and/or affiliate.

Nominate a Rising Star for the 2026 Affiliate New Professional Award!

PCCHA will begin accepting nominations for the 2026 Affiliate New Professional Award during the ACHA Call for Award Nominations (usually beginning in the fall and ending in January).

Do you know a new professional in college health who's already making a big impact? Here’s your chance to shine a spotlight on them!

This prestigious award celebrates exceptional newcomers who, within just five years, have already made outstanding contributions to their institution or PCCHA. Winners will be honored in front of their peers at the ACHA Annual Conference—don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate their achievements and inspire others! Nominate a rising star today!

Ruby Rich Burgar Award For Outstanding Service to College Health and PCCHA

PCCHA no longer offers the Ruby Rich Burgar Award.

The Ruby Rich Burgar Award was established in 1977 to recognize individuals with long, continuous, and outstanding service to college health and the Pacific Coast College Health Association. Named for Ruby Rich Burgar, Executive Director of PCCHA from 1977‐1988, this award represents the highest recognition given by the Pacific Coast College Health Association and continues to honor Ms. Burgar who passed away in 1996.

Past Recipients

1982 Gordon Bergy, University of Washington
1984 Murray DeArmond, University of Arizona
1985 Ray Miller, San Jose State University
1987 Helen Rueda, Fullerton Community College
1988 Allie Nelson, University of Arizona
1989 James Brown, University of California ‐ Berkeley
1991 Donald Char, University of Hawaii
1992 Mary Lou Holland, Highline Community College
1994 Norma Grundy, University of California – Irvine
1995 Betty K. Adams, Washington State University
1996 Robert Petit, University of Oregon
1997 Joyce Meador, University of Arizona
1999 Gary Fredericksen, California Polytechnic University ‐ Pomona
2000 Bill Waid, University of California ‐ Davis
2002 Paula Swinford, University of Southern California
2003 Jean Benthien, Point Loma Nazarene University
2005 Elizabeth Applebee, University of Northern Arizona
2006 Sandy Franz, Portland State University
2007 Joan Rawlins, University of Utah
2018 Cathy Kodama, University of California, Berkeley
2019 Cheryl Hug-English, University of Nevada, Reno

Golden Gull Award for Best Practices in College Health

PCCHA no longer offers this award.

The Golden Gull Award was established by PCCHA in 2001 to recognize exemplary, innovative, and inspirational practices or programs within 4 areas of college health: clinical services, consumer services, counseling services, and health education and promotion services. This award encourages the creation of programs to improve college health practices and advance the health of students.

Past Recipients

2019
Best Integrated Health Care Practices
"UHS Collaborative Care Team"
University of California, Berkeley, University Health Services

2017
Best Health Promotion Practices
“Access to Online Birth Control”
University of California, Irvine, Student Health Center

2016
Best Health Education and Promotion Practices
“Bouncing Back: Building Resilience and Supporting your Wellbeing”
Simon Fraser University, Health Promotion

Best Health Education and Promotion Practices
“C.H.E.W. (Cooking Healthy, Eating Well) Cooking Classes”
San Jose State University, Wellness and Health Promotion

2015
Best Health Education and Promotion Practices
“Rest & Relaxation”
San Jose State University, Wellness & Health Promotion

PCCHA Grants

PCCHA offers financial support for college health researchers and innovators and for colleges or universities to host regional educational workshops, seminars, or speakers to further collaboration, knowledge, and networking among college health professionals and student leaders

PCCHA Mini-Grants

Purpose:

To make available financial support for colleges or universities to host regional educational workshops, seminars, or speakers to further collaboration, knowledge, and networking among college health professionals and student leaders.

Award Amount Available:

A total of $750.00 will be made available in an academic year to fund grants. It is expected that each institution provides a minimum of 20% cost share of proposed direct project costs (exclusive of any staff expenses). The level of support will be a factor in the grant review. No mini-grant funds shall be allocated to indirect costs, also known as overhead, facilities and administrative, etc. or other administrative costs.

Criteria:

  1. Proposals must be relevant to college health or to the health of students.
  2. Funded projects must be in support of collaborative activities that involve or are open to more than one campus.
  3. Applicants must be members of ACHA/PCCHA.
    Note: ACHA's membership model allows all individuals who are part of a member school to join ACHA/PCCHA for free. See "Is My School a Member?" to see if you are eligible a free individual membership.
  4. Applicants may be part of the institution’s staff, faculty, or student body.

Proposal Guidelines:

The proposal should include the following:

  1. Title of proposal
  2. Requester’s information (name, title, university name, mailing address, office phone)
  3. Goals or purpose for the workshop/seminar. Include target audience.
  4. Two to three measurable objectives.
  5. Campuses to be invited to participate in the workshop/seminar.
  6. Itemized budget for workshop/seminar costs such as advertising, transportation, speaker fees, materials, room rental or food costs as needed to directly support the workshop/seminar.

The committee reserves the right to reject any or all proposals if they do not comply with the intent of these funds.

Submit proposal on or before the deadline to the Research and Grants Committee.

Dr. Joel Grinolds' Grants

Available to students as well as staff and faculty. See criteria below.

Purpose:

To make available, on an annual basis, financial support for college health researchers and innovators.

Award Amount Available:

A total of $2500.00 will be available this year. It is the policy of PCCHA to provide funding for direct costs only in support of the Dr. Joel Grinolds’ grants. No grant funds shall be allocated to indirect costs, also known as overhead, facilities, or other administrative costs.

Criteria:

  1. Proposed research or innovation must be in an area relevant to college health or to the health of students. Proposals that contribute broadly to the body of college health research and development are encouraged.
  2. Applicants, in addition to the institution, must be a current member of ACHA/PCCHA.
    Note: ACHA's membership model allows all individuals who are part of a member school to join ACHA/PCCHA for free. See "Is My School a Member?" to see if you are eligible a free individual membership.
  3. Applicants may be part of the institution’s staff, faculty, or student body.
  4. Applicants must submit a formal proposal that does not exceed 5 pages. The proposal must be student oriented, clearly delineate costs in proposed budget, including other funding sources necessary to implement grant (if applicable, future funding) and a method of evaluation.
  5. Proposals must have potential to impact institutions other than the grant recipient’s institution.
  6. Proposed projects must be a novel and innovative enterprise that goes beyond the existing and expected education and/or research efforts on campus.

Proposal Guidelines:

The proposal should include the following:

  1. Title of proposal
  2. Requester’s information (name, title, university name, mailing address, office phone)
  3. A problem statement or needs assessment documenting the problem to be solved or the needs to be met by the proposal.
  4. Objectives – establishes the benefits of the proposal in measurable terms.
  5. Methods – describes the activities to be used to achieve the desired results, along with a time line.
  6. Evaluation – presents a plan for determining the degree to which objectives are met, methods are followed, and continuation or usefulness of information beyond the grant period.
  7. Budget – indirect costs will NOT be covered by the grant. Indicate whether partial funding from the grant can be used to combine with other funds to achieve the proposal’s goals, and how certain the other funding sources are.
  8. A plan for dissemination of the results – presentations or poster sessions at PCCHA regional meetings or ACHA meetings as well as publication is strongly encouraged.
  9. Cover letter from chairperson, director, or department head who will be responsible for funds and conduct the program.

The committee reserves the right to reject any or all proposals if they do not comply with the intent of these funds.

Submit proposal on or before the deadline to the Research and Grants Committee.