USU honors diversity advocates on campus
Recognizing individuals on campus and in the community, Utah State University’s 11th annual Diversity Awards were held on Tuesday morning.
The diversity awards recognize people who have made a significant contributions to affirmative action, equal opportunity and diversity, said President Kermit Hall. The awards were given at the Ellen Eccles Conference Center.
The awards were given to one member of the administration, one faculty member, a staff member, a graduate and undergraduate student, and new this year, the award was also given to a member of the community.
Judith M. Holt won the award in the administration category. Holt is the director of Interdisciplinary Training at the Center for Persons with Disabilities, and associate professor in the department of special education.
“Her work encompasses an important aspect of diversity, that of people with disabilities,” Hall said.
Holt developed two unique programs and has involved individuals and their families for these programs.
“The programs involve participatory research that involves students and faculty together and members from the community to provide disability related services,” Hall said.
“The involvement of members of the community, faculty, staff and students in an academic endeavor is a remarkable achievement,” he said, “including individuals with disabilities, their families and persons of diverse cultures is even more extraordinary.
Elizabeth York, associate professor of music and director of the music therapy program won the award in the faculty category. She also serves as the associate dean for the College of Humanities Arts and Social Sciences.
York’s work focused on music therapy intervention, particularly with women who have suffered abuse. She produced “Finding Voice,” a program for women who had been abused. This allowed them to express their fears, angers, and struggles as they found the path out of abuse using music, poetry, and movement.
York has also been an advocate of gay, lesbian and transgender students and faculty at USU, Hall said.
“She spearheaded the development of Allies on Campus which trains faculty and staff to provide a safe space for students and faculty to discuss sexual orientation issues and experiences. Allies on Campus has trained over 100 staff members and students to provide a space for anyone who needs support or a welcoming environment in these issues,” said Hall.
Liz Allred, an administrative assistant to the biology department was presented with the award as a staff member.
Allred has lived in many countries and has had much interaction with minorities.
“For example,” Hall said, “she has volunteered with the homeless while living in Washington, D.C., She is a literacy volunteer working to improve speaking, reading, and writing skills – primarily with Mexican and Chinese women.
She serves as the volunteer at USU as the international adviser. She also opens her office and her home to international students for vacations and holidays.
Two students were recipients of the diversity award. Braden Jenkins, a marketing major, and Emma Mecham, a graduate student in the English department, both received the award.
Jenkins has been involved in the development and implementation of several multicultural student organizations, including the Academic Scholars Program and Attitude, Character, Exploration, Synergy (A.C.E.S).
“While both these programs welcome all students, they focus on multicultural students, promoting the development of academic and personal accomplishments,” said Hall.
Jenkins was also the organizer of the affirmative action debate that took place on campus last year, and tried to assure that representatives of both sides of the issue had the opportunity to be heard.
Mecham’s thesis advocates the use of culturally authentic literature in the classroom to promote literacy and achieve social justice. She worked with the local Red Cross as the health and safety coordinator and extended the CPR classe to make sure these educational programs reached Hispanic families and blind and deaf students who had not previously been accommodated.
She is fluent in Spanish and has traveled extensively outside the United States, but rarely as a tourist, Hall saidl. She spent time in Peru and Mexico doing research, in Costa Rica working on a rainforest preservation education project, and time in India researching education projects in small villages. Mecham has volunteered in Calcutta at Mother Theresa’s hospital, treating malnutrition in children.
The staff and faculty of Logan City School District South Campus were nominated by their principal, Elaine Wilcox, and received the award given to community members.
The south campus consists of about 90 high school students, Hall said. “Of these students, 35 percent of them represent five different ethnic groups.
“Each staff member accepts the challenge of not only dealing with cultural diversity, but academic diversity as well with students ranging from college ability to lower elementary school,” Hall said.
Several staff members speak Spanish, and extra ESL aides are hired to help with students needs.
“Respect for self and each other is the guiding philosophy by which the school operates,” Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Specialist Dave Ottley said in a press release. “The teachers, secretary, and aides at South Campus all model behaviors that encourage and display acceptance of individual differences. More important, they celebrate our diversity.”
Dr. James Anderson was the keynote speaker for the awards ceremony. He is the vice president and associate provost for institutional assessment and diversity at Texas A&M.
Anderson emphasized the need for all people to seek for diversity in their lives, and that diversity makes all of us better people.
“Diversity has an impact on all students,” Anderson said.
He urged all students to strive to recognize the diversity that exists in their lives, and seek out opportunities to increase diversity in their lives.
-apassey@cc.usu.edu