Contact: Venice Smith, Affirmative Action, Compliance and Monitoring, (517) 432-0663, smithde4@msu.edu; or Tom Oswald, University Relations, (517) 355-2281, oswald@msu.edu
4/5/2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. � Individuals, teams, and units and organizations at Michigan State University will be honored for their innovation and outstanding efforts to promote and achieve diversity.
Awards will be presented during MSU�s annual Excellence in Diversity Recognition and Awards convocation at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 7, in the Lincoln Room of the MSU Kellogg Center. A reception will follow in the Kellogg Center�s Red Cedar Rooms.
Individual and team recipients of �Excellence in Diversity� awards receive a $2,500 cash award.
In addition, four students will be honored for winning the �Students Making a Difference Through Artistic Expression� competition. Three students will receive $500 for their entries and one will receive an honorable mention certificate.
The three winners are Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhran, a Ph.D. student in rhetoric and writing, from Bronx, N.Y.; Yvonne Butler, a second-year College of Human Medicine student from Lansing; and Hunter Ignatoski, a junior majoring in kinesiology from Greenville. Earning an honorable mention award is David Wendland, a junior majoring in journalism from Northville.
Individual winners
- Joseph Cousins, coordinator for international visitors, Institute of International Agriculture. In his time at MSU, Cousins has demonstrated a unique commitment to the spirit of affirmative action, equity and nondiscrimination. Among his many accomplishments are the initiation and implementation of a number of procedures to broaden access and representation of under-represented groups within the university. Cousins will receive the �Lifetime Achievement� award.
- Homer Hawkins, associate professor, School of Criminal Justice. In addition to his teaching duties, Hawkins has worked tirelessly to recruit students of color to study criminal justice. For his efforts, Hawkins will earn the �Sustained Effort Toward Excellence in Diversity� award.
- LaJoya Johnson, undergraduate student, Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Science � Health Studies. As an aide in MSU�s Multicultural Center, Johnson has demonstrated a sincere commitment to all diversity issues. She has been especially committed to issues of concern to the lesbian-bi-gay-transgendered people of color community. For her work, Johnson will earn the �Excellence in Diversity Emerging Progress� award.
- Leonard Savala, director of undergraduate diversity, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. In his role, Savala has worked closely with three precollege diversity programs � Multicultural Apprentice Program, ANR Institute for Multicultural Students, and ANR Institute for Multicultural Students-Bilingual. Savala will receive the �Excellence in Diversity Emerging Progress� award.
- Mark Sullivan, associate professor, School of Music. Since joining the School of Music in 1985, Sullivan has worked closely with MSU and surrounding communities to champion diversity. He has worked to recruit minority graduate students and has often arranged the visits of diverse guest artists. Sullivan will receive the �Sustained Effort Toward Excellence in Diversity� award.
Team, and unit and organization winners
- LATTICE (Linking All Types of Teachers to International Cross-cultural Education) International Team.Now in its 10th year, LATTICE continues to work with area teachers, helping them bring global and international perspectives into their classrooms. Nearly 500 Michigan educators and international students are members of LATTICE. For its efforts, the LATTICE International Team will receive the �Sustained Effort Toward Excellence in Diversity� team award.
- Wharton Center for Performing Arts. The Wharton Center has promoted diversity on the MSU campus in a variety of ways, including the hosting of numerous jazz concerts, the development of an endowment fund to help underwrite arts education programs for youth, and, recently, the creation of the position of manager of cultural diversity and community outreach. The center will receive the �Excellent Progress Toward Advancing Diversity Within Community� unit award.
- Community Volunteers for International Programs (CVIP). Since its beginnings in 1961, CVIP�s mission has been to increase cross-cultural understanding and goodwill between MSU international students, families and visitors and the greater Lansing community. Every year, the Global Festival, one of its major events, attracts thousands of people to the MSU campus. CVIP will receive the �Excellent Progress Toward Advancing Diversity Within Community� organization award.
- Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program/Summer Research Opportunity Program. In its 15 years of existence, McNair/SROP has created opportunities for talented under-represented, first generation, and/or low income undergraduate students to pursue doctoral degrees. Overall, the program has developed effective methods in support of diversity and multiculturalism that create and support a positive atmosphere within MSU. It will receive the �Excellent Progress Toward Advancing Diversity Within Community� unit award.