Faculty, Staff, Students, and Programs Recognized for Promotion of Diversity

Recipients of the 2016 Dr. Muriel A. Howard Presidential Award for the Promotion of Equity and Campus Diversity were recognized at a ceremony held on campus April 19.  

Introductions were offered by Jennifer Hunt, associate professor of psychology and co-chair of the President’s Council on Equity and Campus Diversity.

President Conway-Turner honored faculty and staff members, 10 minigrant recipients, and other supportive guests at the annual event.

“Respect for diversity and individual differences serves as the focus for our teaching, learning, and research philosophies and guides us to be a caring and inclusive community,” said Conway-Turner. “The annual Diversity Awards Luncheon is the place where we can see all of these elements coming together and where we can truly celebrate the contributions and efforts of several individuals who have exemplified, embraced, and enhanced diversity at Buffalo State.”

The award recognizes faculty and staff members who promote respect for diversity and individual differences through classroom discussions, curricular experiences, out-of-classroom activities, projects, conversations, or special mentorships that go beyond what is usually expected as a part of their regular job expectations or teaching assignments.

Nominations were submitted by students, faculty, and staff to acknowledge members of the campus community who reflect these values of respect for diversity and advocacy for social justice.

This year’s Muriel A. Howard Award faculty recipients were Katherine S. Bertel, academic outreach and engagement librarian at E. H. Butler Library, and Gloria Cockrell, lecturer of writing.

Minigrant recipients

• “A Celebration of a Century of Ethnic History: Contributions of Ethnic Communities to Buffalo and Western New York,” submitted by Chris Root, special projects assistant, Monroe Fordham Regional History Center
   
• “Gender Inclusive Restrooms Project,” submitted by Katie Bertel, outreach and engagement librarian, E. H. Butler Library
   
• “I Paula Madrigal, assistant director of health promotions, Weigel Health Center
   
• “New World, New Wardrobe,” submitted by Keunyoung Oh, associate professor, Fashion and Textile Technology Department
   
• “Peaceful Warriors: Higher Education, Heroes and Russia’s War on Ukraine,” submitted by Kimberly Kline, chair and associate professor, Higher Education Administration
   
• “Please Excuse My Self Expression 6” submitted by Cory Fletcher, president, Iota Phi Theta fraternity
   
• “The Black Cross Project,” submitted by William L. White, professor, Social and Psychological Foundations of Education, and director, Faculty Development
   
• “The Uses of Anger: Wanda Coleman and the Poetry of Black Rage and #blacklivesmatter,” submitted by Jennifer Ryan-Bryant, associate professor, English Department
   
• “The Women of Little Vietnam: Decolonization and the Repatriate Experience” submitted by Kenneth Orosz, professor, History and Social Studies Education Department
   
• “Through These Gates: Buffalo’s First African American Architect, John E. Brent” Nancy Weekly, head of collections and Charles Cary Rumsey curator, Burchfield Penney Art Center

“Our gratitude extends especially to the faithful members of the President’s Council on Equity and Campus Diversity for their generous counsel and diligent work toward our mutual goal of equity and inclusion at Buffalo State College,” said Karen Clinton Jones, chief diversity officer.

View photo gallery from the awards ceremony.

Pictured at top (left to right): Ben Christy, dean of the School of Arts and Humanities; Provost Melanie Perreault; award recipient Gloria Cockrell; lecturer of writing; student nominator Leah Tyrrell; President Conway-Turner; Michele Ninacs, director of writing program; Scott Johnson, dean of University College

Pictured center (left to right): Provost Perreault; award recipient Katherine Bertel, academic outreach and engagement librarian at E. H. Butler Library; Ken Fujiuchi, head of Information Commons at E. H. Butler Library; President Conway-Turner