Undergraduate Student  Excellence (Leadership/Service) Award Recipients:

Soanny Delgado and Kevin Lopes

When you say the name, SOANNY DELGADO you think of leadership, collaboration and charisma. Her nominator says that “she has had the most remarkable year of any student organization president I have known in 34 years of cultural and multicultural work in higher education.? Soanny is President of Hispanic Professional Engineers and in that capacity she has figured out how best to reinforce and motivate other students. Soanny says she does this by ‘treating each person uniquely and thereby discovering what motivates them. I strive to build the trust, confidence, character and commitment of each individual…’ In addition, Soanny served as the first student staff coordinator for the Multicultural Center. Because of her outstanding work ethic, professionalism, technical expertise, managerial skills, and commitment to the MCC, her impact has been like having an additional staff person. Finally she has excelled in the classroom in her civil engineering major.

KEVIN LOPES already achieved a high mark of distinction at the University of Rhode Island. Elected Student Government President for the 2003-2004 term, Kevin, only the third student government president of color, was successful in his presidential campaign by positioning himself as the ‘candidate who is acceptable to all.?Whether in the 400 meters or high jump, in the classroom, or as an involved student, the hallmark of Kevin’s ‘modus operandi?is action. He has been and it seems he will continue to be a ‘change agent?for all students in the URI community. It would never be enough for Kevin to simply realize that students on campus are separated by race; he is the one to develop and implement a program to really learn the ‘why?and ‘what?of the matter.

Undergraduate Student Excellence (Academic/Service) Award Recipients:

Mountha Nhem and Ana Franco

MOUNTHA NHEM, a Cambodian student studying finance, is interested in African culture, and in Hispanic culture. And she wants to interest others in exploring other cultures even if they are in a minority culture themselves. Mountha says “that we are all one family and (that we) need to commit to learning from each other and understand each other to make this world a better place to live.?She spreads this philosophy in her University involvements: the Rose Butler Browne Program, various national honor societies, in collaboration with engineering students bettering the lives of the disabled, and in the payroll department of Housing & Residential Life. But her future commitment is to the people of Cambodia, where she hopes to return to “work with my people to help business owners with financial planning, and teach the community about financial products and assessments so that they will get exposure to modern day business.?br>
ANA FRANCO, is a mechanical engineering student living in the IEP house, the International Engineering Program. Ana uses every chance available to promote issues, ideas and activities of diversity, be it at the IEP house, in the science and mathematics program for younger children, in her employment at the URI Admissions Office, or as a Student Technology Assistant. Ana’s ambition to promote respect for diversity began during her Talent Development summer at URI when she enriched her own cultural knowledge and learned from so many other diverse students. Living in Rainbow Diversity House offered her another opportunity to explore diversity among diverse groups and to learn from other people’s heritage and experiences. Presently, Ana is expanding her idea of diversity by a health research engineering project that will prove important to people with disabilities.

Undergraduate Student Excellence (Artistic/Cultural) Award Recipients:

Jonathon Ho and Carol Pegg

JONATHAN HO is a Capoeira member who is not only a fine performer, but who also acts as a role model for group cohesion, leadership and affability. He possesses the valuable ability to ‘bridge the gap?between and among various groups and to bring those groups together for a common purpose. He has done this with Capoeira, Housing and Residential Life, Queer Rhode Island, the Asian Student Association, LASA and several others. Jonathan’s skill in striking common ground has resulted from his own experiences of feeling ill at ease and awkward in new circumstances. He says “now (I realize) that being at ease makes it easier to be yourself, and that is the first step to let others in to our world? Jonathan’s most recent effort at bringing groups together was realized in the bus trip to New York City that over 100 people took for the “World Against the War?rally. He worked with both URI SSP and URI Students for Social Change to make this happen.

CAROL PEGG has started a tradition at the University of Rhode Island. For the past two years, she has directed the Multicultural Center dinner/Cabaret for Family Weekend. This event, attended predominantly by the racial and ethnic majority, reminds the majority families of how we value the richness of our diverse student body. And to the minority families, it portrays the University as warmly welcoming of different cultural backgrounds. Organizing the performing students, choosing the acts, refining the delivery, managing costumes and sets is no small feat, but the program has been received with spectacular reviews. As an older student and a University staff person, Carol has established a solid rapport with a variety of students, including graduate students, students with disabilities, as well as ethnic minorities and international students.

Student Organization Excellence (Leadership/Service) Award Recipients:

Society for Hispanic professional Engineers and BCV Capoeira

The University of Rhode Island Chapter of the SOCIETY FOR HISPANIC PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS was founded in 1999. They understand how important it is to invest in human development and incorporate the cultural styles of several other multicultural groups. SHPE has focused on study skill development, leadership, resume development as well as activities both on and off-campus which are celebratory and instructive. Because of their very productive fundraising efforts, many group members have been able to attend conferences in Boston and New Orleans, and still keep things local by tutoring 7^th and 8^th graders from Providence. In the URI Times program, in conjunction with the Engineering Department, SHPE is offering hands-on experience in engineering to middle and high school students. The success of the organization comes from its 14-member executive board which has maintained an unusual level of cohesion and goal orientation.

The BRAZILIAN CAPE VERDEAN CAPOEIRA not only promotes respect for diversity in its performances, but is a diverse group within itself. Capoeira is made up of students from all backgrounds and walks of life, which, in itself, is quite unique for a cultural group. Its performers are models of the principles it teaches: respect, self-control, discipline, integrity, and trust. In their numerous performances, both on this campus, statewide, and regionally, they hope to promote these principles through this art form while advancing the level of education about and respect for the Brazilian and Cape Verdean culture. Their most captivated audiences come from middle and high schools students throughout the State. What motivates such a diverse group of students to be so disciplined and giving of their talent: “because we love it.?URI’s Capoeira is the first in Rhode Island to become a registered student organization. In New England, the RUI student group has been the most active and visible at creating awareness of Capoeira as a traditional martial art form

Staff/Administrative Excellence (Leadership/Service) Award Recipients:

Winifred Brownell and Thomas Dougan

WINIFRED BROWNELL represents the true portrait of a leader: she’s humble about it. In her own words, when asked how she has improved inter-group relations among diverse groups, she says that “all of the achievements were made by our community, and I simply played a part in them.?We all know that this kind of commitment to diversity within a College must come from its top leadership, and, as Dean, that makes Winnie’s role a large one to play. Dean Brownell has promoted issues of diversity on the departmental level. Faculty are encouraged to recruit underrepresented groups both for new faculty and students. Underrepresented students are encouraged to apply for international programs, join research groups, exhibit their art and performances, and generally work to excel. She has been instrumental in the campaign to create the Afro-American Studies major, and the establishment of Diversity Week. Her College, and therefore Dean Brownell, is proactive in making the University community one that is tolerant, respectful and inclusive of all.

Having served the University as Director of Student Life, Interim Executive Officer for Student Affairs, Acting Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, and Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. TOM DOUGAN has been Vice President of Student Affairs since January 2002. According to President Carothers, "he has been the 'go-to' guy when things have been tough here, and he has earned the respect and admiration of two generations of students. I have been impressed by his commitment to fairness and diversity and his willingness always to go the extra mile for our students." Dr. Dougan was selected for his sensitive advocacy of gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered issues, having created the position of Assistant to the Vice President for GLBT Affairs; and his support of Talent Development and the Multicultural Center, allowing both Directors the freedom and trust to be creative.

Lifetime Achievement Award:

Judge Caprio

FRANK CAPRIO has twice been appointed to the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education, serving from 1992 to 1995, and from 1997 to the present. He is the Chief Judge of the Municipal Court of Providence, and a senior partner in the law offices of Caprio and Caprio. A graduate of Providence College, he holds a LL.B degree from Suffolk University in Boston. Currently the chair of the Board of Governors, Judge Caprio has also chaired the Facilities Committee and served on the Personnel Committee. Judge Caprio was selected for this award because of the vital role he played in the funding for the new Multicultural Center. While chairing the Facilities Committee, he listened to the needs of underrepresented students and initiated the campaign for a $1,000,000 bond issue that created this facility - unparalleled among institutions of higher education in New England.

Graduate Student  Excellence (Academic/Service) Award Recipients:

Susan Peterson and Ashima Singh

In her English doctoral studies, SUSAN PETERSON has produced a curriculum and program entitled “Changing Lives through Literature?in which criminal offenders are offered an opportunity to take a course in literature rather than go to jail or serve probation time. Additionally, Susan has developed the “Newspapers in Education Program? in conjunction with the Providence Journal and Hasbro, which is a three part magazine style insert and teachers? guide that helps teachers statewide to incorporate the principles and steps of nonviolence into their classroom curriculum. All of her emphasis is on promoting not only tolerance, but also respect for all cultures, races, and socio-economic levels. Equally important, Susan aptly brings her themes of tolerance, respect and inclusion to her work with the Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies.

The University’s Psychology Department has had the services of ASHIMA SINGH on its Multicultural Task Force, and on the task force subcommittee developing a conflict resolution system and a Student Bill of Rights. More informally, she has facilitated several gatherings of students and faculty at a local hot spot in an effort to foster communication and a sense of community between the two. Ashima was a summer retreat coordinator for the Multicultural Center during the summer of 2000. This program is instrumental in preparing the future leaders of multicultural efforts on campus.

Faculty Excellence (Academic/Service) Award Recipients:

Diane Gerzevitz and Sylvia Spears

DIANE GERZEVITZ, faculty in the College of Nursing, practices both her nursing skill and her relationship-building skill in University classes, advising sessions, work in the Rhode Island Free Clinic in Providence, as well as in Honduras, Central America. In exposing students to families in need of health care in different cultural environments, Diane has opened the door for many of her students to identify and meet the health needs of disenfranchised groups of people. She says her students ¡°¡­are able to bridge the (cultural) divide by their willingness to communicate, to touch and to care for the immediate and long-term needs of the (Honduran) group.¡± Diane has collaborated with the University¡¯s Instructional Technology Department, the URI News Bureau, and the College of Pharmacy to better educate her students and to provide better service to their patients.

In her own words, SYLVIA SPEARS, faculty in Human Development and Family Studies, speaks of her classroom philosophy in this way: ¡°At this time in our history, failure to address the principles of inclusion, equity and constructivism as part of pedagogical practices is equivalent to educational malpractice. As an educator, I am not only drawn to include the examination of equity and diversity issues ¡­but I am also obliged to do so. If we don¡¯t provide these kinds of experiences for students, then we have failed them.¡± This service to students in her classroom is replicated in service to the University. Her workshops on her own phrase ¡°cultural competency¡± are practical, memorable and, in many cases, life altering. In all she does, Sylvia¡¯s goal is to develop and improve the quality of relationships among diverse groups. Formerly the Acting Director of Affirmative Action at URI, she has also served on the University¡¯s Committee for Native American Affairs.