Locals rewarded for supporting diversity
Efforts to enhance diversity at Utah State University are in the hands of good people.
President Kermit L. Hall presented the ninth annual Diversity Awards on Oct. 29 as part of Diversity Week. The importance of the awards and its recipients was emphasized by Hall.
“It’s one of the most important days in the life of the university,” he said.
Hall, along with Sue Guenter-Schlesinger, director of the office for affirmative action and equal opportunities, presented the awards.
The recipients were decided based on six criteria: modeling behavior that promotes diversity, nurturing acceptance of individual differences, striving to enhance academic and community relations with those who are different, integrating diversity concepts and values into academic curriculum, developing methods for increasing and valuing diversity among students, staff, faculty and local businesses and maximizing opportunities to achieve diversity.
Five awards were given out, each highlighting a different area of contribution to the university.
Everardo Martinez-Inzunza, director of Multicultural Student Services received the award for an administrator. Patricia Gantt received the faculty award as an associate professor in the English department. Marlene Berger, assistant to the vice president for Extension, received the staff award. Maure Smith, a 2001 graduate of USU received the student award. Steve and Johnnie Karren, 1965 graduates of USU, were awarded as community members.
The Karrens were awarded for their committee work and friendshipping of international students over the years.
“The most meaningful things are the students themselves,” Mr. Karren said. “We found that we could never do so little to get such a great reward than to have the friendship of the international students – that’s the real meaning.”
Mrs. Karren said the diversity USU brings is a great asset to Logan.
“I think one of the advantages is to have international students in the community – out grocery shopping and doing all those things -because it gives the community people a chance to mingle with others from other cultures whereas many towns the size of Logan don’t have that opportunity,” she said. “It’s a wonderful blessing for us all to have that opportunity.”
USU is more diverse today than when the Karrens attended, they said, mostly because the demographics have changed dramatically.
While great strides have been made to increase diversity, Hall would like to see more advances made, he said.
“The reality at Utah State is that we are well below where we want to be as far as diversity among our university community,” he said.
Hall mentioned the recent self-examination of the university and the goals which were created for USU. Goal number six is to build a socially and intellectually vibrant campus community enhanced by the diversity of its faculty, staff and students.
“We could have no nobler ambition,” he said. “There are significant achievements – don’t underestimate it. We’re heading in the right direction.”
Gantt said she desires increased diversity, especially in women’s issues, and is happy to have Hall’s support.
“I’d like to see women’s issues receive more funding and more support and more is done in the presence of the university,” she said. “I’m glad to see President Hall has given us 100 percent support.”
Increased diversity, provided by the award recipients, will inevitably help the university achieve its goals as a higher-quality institution.
“We value and promote respect for individual differences at Utah State, not only because it’s the law of the land, which it sure is, but because it is unquestionably the right thing to do,” Hall said. “It’s critical to an open and stimulating intellectual environment, and the only way to live peacefully in a fast-shrinking world in which difference is now the level common denominator.”
Guenter-Schlesinger also highlighted the importance of diversity in our lives.
“Valuing diversity allows us to share ideas with those different from us and in so doing enriches our experience both professionally and personally,” she said.
The hard work of the six award recipients is a testament to the continued improvement of diversity at USU.
Gantt, a former resident of North Dakota and North Carolina said diversity in Utah is different from her previous homes, but it is a good diversity.
“The thing you come to learn with diversity in Utah is that diversity is a two-way thing. Not only do we want to have successful people that we can all identify with, but those that are in the mainstream realize that it takes all of us to have a fully functional world,” she said. “Diversity is as important to the people in the mainstream as it is to people of color.”
Gantt said she has been impressed with the quality of people at USU.
“I have worked with a lot of people who cared what this world was like,” she said.
Gantt endorsed further enhancement of diversity in our community by having individuals make strides to embrace diversity.
“Reach out and take a risk. You won’t be sorry,” she said.
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Adam Billings and Tavia Natchees perform a Polynesian dance prior to the Diversity Awards presentation. (Photo by Angelie Christensen)
Sue Guenterschlesinger and President Kermit L. Hall present Maure Smith with the diversity award for a student. (Photo by Angelie Christensen)