October 30, 2002 Feature
Story
Utah State University
Recognizes Diversity
Award Recipients
President Kermit Hall honored the recipients of the 9th Annual
Utah State University Diversity Awards on Tuesday, Oct. 29,
at 11:30 a.m. in the Sunburst Lounge in the Taggart Student
Center on campus.
The ceremony was in conjunction with Diversity Week activities
sponsored by the Associated Students of Utah State University
(ASUSU). Everardo Martinez-Inzunza, Patricia Gantt, Marlene
Berger, Maure Smith, and Steve and Johnnie Karren are this year's
award recipients. The awards recognize individuals on campus
and in the Cache Valley community who make significant contributions
to affirmative action, equal opportunity and diversity.
 Everardo
Martinez-Inzunza was honored in the administrator category.
He is the director of the Multicultural Student Services Office
at Utah State. He took a program that served some 30 multicultural
students and transformed it into a program involving 500. He
increased opportunities for leadership development of minority
students by increasing the number of multicultural clubs from
five to 14 and creating a class to prepare multicultural students
in principles of leadership. He worked with school districts,
schools, teachers and parents in the community to develop ways
to encourage multicultural students to pursue a college education.
His efforts have resulted in an 18 percent increase in multicultural
students entering Utah State.
 Patricia
Gantt, an associate professor of English, was honored
in the faculty category. Prior to her arrival at Utah State,
she established a Holocaust Resource Center (in cooperation
with the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C.), created
a video used in HIV/AIDS training for teachers and health professionals
throughout North Dakota, and worked with North Dakota=s Ukranian
Cultural Center, resulting in her being named an honorary Ukranian
citizen. She mentored classes at Sky View and Mountain Crest
High Schools and led the Mountain Crest English department in
a total revision of its literature curriculum to include authors
and perspectives not previously taught. The new curriculum won
regional recognition.
 Marlene
Berger received the award in the staff category. She
is assistant to the vice president for Extension with responsibilities
as EEO civil rights coordinator for Extension. As the Utah State
Extension civil rights coordinator, Berger advocated and helped
to develop and implement numerous programs to increase availability
of and participation in various Extension programs by under-served
and minority audiences throughout Utah. She worked closely with
and was recognized numerous times by the Cooperative State Research,
Education and Extension Service/U.S. Department of Agriculture
civil rights office. This close association allowed Berger to
bring several national speakers to Extension conferences and
programs. From February 1999 to February 2001, she worked for
the Farm Services Agency to help bring its civil rights and
diversity requirements into compliance.
 Maure
Smith, an undergraduate student in English, received
recognition in the student category. Smith was recognized for
bringing great sensitivity and courage in dealing publicly with
the controversial issue of sexual orientation in Cache Valley.
As a co-chair of the Pride! Alliance at Utah State, she frequently
participated in panel discussions relating to issues of sexual
orientation. She helped organize and continues to be active
in Sappho, an organization for lesbians and bi-sexual women.
She was involved in organizing and participating in a program
at Chapter Two Books featuring lesbian women musicians and poets.
Smith received the Gay and Lesbian Diversity Scholarship, awarded
to someone actively engaged in promoting acceptance and understanding
of gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender diversity issues
through education at Utah State and in the community at large.
 Steve
and Johnnie Karren received the award for the community
category. They have worked extensively with international students
and their families. Both Steve and Johnnie served in a number
of positions with the Community/University Friends of Foreign
Students committee. This committee coordinates and provides
community support to international students. Steve served as
chairman of this committee for a number of years. They have
coordinated host families throughout the community to invite
international students into their homes. In a typical semester,
arrangements are made for about 100 students to develop meaningful
relationships with community members. They have led by example
as virtually every holiday has found a group of international
students in their home. Some international students have even
accompanied the family on vacations to Lake Powell and Yellowstone
National Park. Both Steve and Johnnie currently teach a weekly
class to spouses of international students to help them feel
comfortable in their new environment. They both taught English
as a Second Language in local high schools, to individuals and
larger community groups.
For more information about the awards, call the Affirmative
Action/Equal Opportunity Office at Utah State, (435) 797-1266.
Writer: Heidi Broadwater, hab@cc.usu.edu,
797-1350
Contact: David Ottley, daveo@champ.usu.edu,
797-1266
utah
state today home/archives
prior to Sept 2002/contact
us
Brought
to you by Utah State University Public Relations and Marketing
|