Diversity Awards 2007
The Awards Celebration was held on:
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Memorial Union Ballroom
6:30-8:30pm
- Congratulations to this year's Diversity Awards Recipients!!
- Lifetime Achievement Award
The Honorable Alton W. Wiley, Sr., is being celebrated for his pioneering accomplishments in the field of law, and for his outstanding record of service to the University of Rhode Island. The "Jackie Robinson" of the Rhode Island courts, Judge Wiley became the first African-American appointed to the Rhode Island District Court in 1980, and to the Rhode Island Superior Court in 1991. A graduate of URI majoring in Business Administration in 1951, he earned a J.D. degree from Boston University in 1956. After serving in private practice, he was appointed Assistant U.S. Attorney in 1963; Assistant Legal Counsel, Employment Security in 1969; Assistant Public Defender in 1972; and a member of the staff of the Governor's Legislative Counsel in 1979. The recipient of an honorary doctorate from URI in 1983, Judge Wiley has served the University with distinction as former vice president for student affairs; and as past president of the URI Alumni Association. The husband of Maryann Conlan and the father of three children, Alton, Jr., Deane, and Jacqueline, he has served on the boards of directors of the Urban League of Rhode Island, the Legal Aid Society of Rhode Island and the John Hope Settlement House.
- Undergraduate Student Excellence (Academic/Service)
Brandon Brown is being honored for his efforts to promote citizenship involvement at URI. A sophomore majoring in Political Science from Providence, he serves as Treasurer of the URI National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), while maintaining a 3.0 GPA. In high school, he was a member of the Rhode Island State champion team in the “We, The People: The Citizens and the Constitution” competition in 2004, receiving a citation from the state legislature, and participating in the national contest in Washington, D. C. As an officer of the URI NAACP, he served as emcee for an event during the Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration in Newport, RI; organized the “Battle of the Beats” to provide a platform for positive hip-hop voices on campus; assisted Dr. Bernard Lafayette and Jonathan Lewis in nonviolence training at Paul Cuffe Middle School in Providence. During the fall semester, he volunteered under the auspices of the Rhode Island Children’s Crusade to act as mentor and role model for students of color at the Ralph Holden Community Center, encouraging them to complete school and attend college.
Destiny Woodbury is being honored for her life story illustrating the triumph of the human spirit in overcoming adversity and pursuing excellence. A senior in chemistry and secondary education from Providence, RI, she has brought national acclaim to the University, while receiving the Giant Steps Award for the Most Courageous Student-Athlete from the National Consortium of Academics and Sports, in 2005; and the Award of Valor from the Eastern College Athletic Conference, in 2006. Because of the impact of poverty, drug addiction, and death in her family, she assumed de facto responsibility for raising two younger siblings, while living with her grandmother. A determined, young woman of sterling character, she excelled in her studies at Mount Pleasant High School. Twice selected captain of the URI track team, Destiny is an accomplished track athlete, holding the school record in the indoor 400 meter dash, and winning New England indoor and outdoor championships in the 400 meter. In addition, she was twice elected to be chair of the URI Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She organized a forum to increase understand of Title IX to URI coaches and athletes. She volunteered for a URI mentor tutor internship at South Kingston High School and the Compass School. Recently she was assigned to teach science at a middle school in Texas through the Teach for America Program. Having completed a paid internship at Teknor Apex in Pawtucket, Destiny is deciding whether she will be a chemistry teacher or an industrial chemist.
- Undergraduate Student Excellence (Leadership/Service)
Kevin Martins is being honored for his leadership in promoting philanthropy for students at URI, and his involvement with multicultural student organizations. A Business Administration major from Pawtucket, RI, Kevin has earned a 3.26 GPA at URI. His major leadership accomplishment has emerged from his role as founder and head of operations of the K.M. Helping Hand Scholarships which has been awarded to students at the end of the year for the past three years. All funding has been raised and paperwork coordinated by Kevin to help incoming freshmen with the cost of books. He helped P.I.N.K. Women raise $1500 to initiate their organization in 2005-2006. At URI he has actively participated in Uhuru SaSa, NAACP, Cape Verdean Students Association, and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. In addition, he is a finalist for the 2007 Rainville Awards, and a Resident Assistant at Dorr Hall.
Elizabeth Lyons is being honored for her philanthropy in the campaign against breast cancer and her community service in linking URI athletes to the Special Olympics. A senior in Textile Fashion Merchandizing and Design from Chariho, RI, she led a diverse support team in developing, organizing, and administering the greatest one-game promotion in the history of athletics at URI. Working as an intern to Gregg Burke, interim Director of Athletics, she organized the “Pink Out,” which raised $10,000 for the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation, with an additional $5,000 for URI athletics. On January 24th, a record setting 2,657 students attended the “Pink Out” game, energizing the URI Rams and carrying them to a season-changing victory, 75-72, over the favored University of Massachusetts Minutemen, at the Ryan Center. In 2006, she arranged a program in which the members of the URI swim team met with the Special Olympics contestants at the YMCA. The program gave disabled individuals an opportunity to develop their swimming techniques, form friendships, and enjoy preparation for competition. In addition, she has excelled in academics while competing in the long jump and the sprints for the URI track team. She was first runner-up for Miss Rhode Island USA in 2003; and is a member of the URI Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
- Graduate Student Excellence
Curtis Ferguson II is being honored for his work in supporting the academic growth and development of students from underrepresented racialm cultural, and economic backgrounds. As Project Coordinator for the student-driven Intercultural Community for Academic Success, (ICAS) at the URI Academic Enhancement Center (AEC), he developed and implemented a staff development project to improve cultural competence and interpersonal communication; and an outreach project to enhance study skills and to increase understanding of the roles of race and culture in academic success. David Hayes, Director of the AEC, credits Curtis as a major factor in increasing ethnic balance among student tutors and academic skills inters; and in attracting students of color as clientele. Under Curtis initiative, ICAS facilitated video screenings, study breaks, workshops, and other activities in the residence halls. A Master's degree candidate in College Student Personnel, he developed a survey instrument to assess the cross-cultural competence among student workers in learning assistance centers; and prepared an essay on language and disability for Career Watch, a student affairs newsletter. In addition, he has been a Graduate Assistant at the URI Rainbow Diversity House; a workshop presenter at URI Diversity Weel and the URI GLBTQA Symposium; and an intern at the Moses Brown School in Providence.
Yafei Yang is being honored for his efforts to promote an understanding of Chinese traditional culture at URI, and his research in information and network security. As President of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association at URI (CSSA), he was the driving force in initiating the first colloborative celebration of the Chinese New Year with Brown University and other Chinese community organizations, attracting 500 participants. Through CSSA, Yafei helped to organize a popular Chinese mid-autumn festival; a badminton tournament featuring students representing 10 area universities; and a soccer game, all at URI. Extending his influence beyond CSSA, he is webmaster of the Graduate Student Association; vice president of Graduate Assistants United; and more recently, site manager of Graduate Village. A third-year Ph.D. candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering, his published research focuses on information and network security. When in Beijing, China, prior to coming to Rhode Island, he worked as an instructor for the Chinese government, and a columnist.
- Staff/Administrator Excellence
Dr. Grace Frenzel is being honored for her leadership and support of diversity initiative at URI. A psychologist in the URI Counseling Center since 1980, she is a co founder and a co coordinator of the Women in Science Lunch Series, which began in 1983. She has helped to coordinate the Reel Talk Series, which screens and discusses films on difference in gender and sexual orientation. She is the co chair of the President’s Commission on the Status of Women and a member of the Committee on Equity for Women. She organized the Eating Disorders Treatment Team, an interdepartmental consultation group and has co coordinated “Celebration of Natural Body Types,” an annual interedepartmental program on healthy body image for the past seven years. As a consultant to the URI Student Affairs Division Diversity Committee, she has been a leading contributor of the formulation of the committee’s recommendations for advancing diversity at URI. Her professional interests include the prevention of eating disorders, the enhancement of body image, and helping organizations function more effectively. During 2005, the effectiveness of her behind- the- scenes work was acknowledged when she was named in Woman of the Year by the URI Association of Professional and Academic Women.
Dr. Bobbi Koppel is being honored for her efforts to promote diversity in the workplace to students, faculty, staff, and administrators from underrepresented populations. After joining URI as a faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Koppel became Assistant Director of Career Services in 1985, subsequently becoming the Director of the Office. Over the last fifteen years, the office has experienced tremendous growth in the quality of its services and outreach to diverse audiences. Dr. Koppel has collaborated with the Dual Career committee and the Worklife Committee of the Advance Program to attract and attain female and minority faculties in STEM disciplines; and to encourage, promote and evaluate issues surrounding worklife balance. Under her leadership, the Office of Career Services has been a frequent participant in URI Diversity Week, sponsoring the Annual Diversity Week Essay and Creative Work Contest and workshops on the importance of diversity in the workplace. She has increased the electronic dissemination materials for diverse audiences through the establishment of the Diversity Career Website. She has delivered presentations to diverse groups, such as Alumni of Color, Uhuru Sasa, the Rose Butler Browne Leadership Program, the National Society of Black Engineers, and various classes in Women’s Studies. She has developed the Students with Disabilities Interview Program, which provides two hours of intensive training on interviewing skills to students. She has conducted in-service trainings for the staff of the GLBTQ Center and the Disabilities Services Program. She has encouraged students of color to attend the Monster Diversity Leadership Program. In addition, she is a member of the Steering Committee of the Association for Professional and Academic Women, and a central contributor to the Student Affairs Diversity Committee.
- Staff/Administrator Excellence
Dr. Patricia Morokoff is being honored for her contribution to the develpoment of the multicultural emphasis in the curriculum of the URI Psychology Department, and her record of multicultural research. During the mid-1990's, the Psychology Department began a remarkable period of transformation, critically assessing its own capacity for preparing students for life, study, and career in multicultural world. Willing to alter some of the power dynamics with their graduate students, Dr. Morokoff joined colleagues in opening up dialogue, expanding professional perspective, and sensitizing professional practise, enabling the Department to experience one of its most productive periods of growth. She is a member of the Women's Studies faculty. One of the longest-serving members of the Department's Multicultural Task Force, her published research has covered such areas as dating practices of biracial women; incidence of smoking during pregnancy in low-income Latina and White womenl and sexual risk-taking behaviors and attitudes among ethnically diverse women with HIV/AIDS.
She has provided leadership within the Department on efforts to reduce sexual harassment, and to recruit and retain faculty of color.
As Graduate Program Director of Clinical Psychology of URI, her program received honorable mention for the American Psychological Association's Suinn Award, recognizing graduate programs in the United States for excellence in recruiting and retaining students of color.
Dr. Arthur Stein is being honored for his work in establishing what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has called the “beloved community” at URI; and his teaching and research on peace making, community building, and conflict resolution. Joining the Political Science Department at URI in 1965, Dr. Stein became immediately aware of the lack of diversity among students, faculty, staff, and administrators in the campus community. Seeking to help the campus become more inclusive, he and other faculty banded together in support of what was then called the Disadvantaged Students Program under the initial leadership of Rev. Arthur L. Hardge. This forerunner of the Talent Development Program was given impetus by the demonstrations led by African American students in 1971 which Dr. Stein supported. During the early 1970s, he introduced the first courses on nonviolence taught in the state of Rhode Island such as “Nonviolence and Living in the Nuclear Age” representing URI on an international stage, he has been a speaker and workshop leader at Peacebuilding conferences in Amsterdam, Jerusalem, Delhi, Bogotá, Capetown, and Barcelona. Through his local participation in the Interfaith Council of Rhode Island, he (with his wife Sartori- Stein) has helped to organize programs commemorating the 50th anniversary of the United Nations, and International UN Peace Day. On campus, he has contributed as a co founder of the Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies and a Fellow of the URI Honors Program, URI Multicultural Center, the John Hazen White Center for Ethics and Public Service, and the Feinstein Community Service Center. His books include India and the Soviet Union: the Nehru Era, Bittersweet Encounter: the Afro American and American Jew, Seeds of the Seventies: Values, Work, and Commitment in Post- Vietnam America. In January he was the recipient of the Peacemaker Award presented by the URI Chaplains.
- Organization Excellence
The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)at URI is being honored for its service in addressing the academic, academic support, career, and community service needs of its core constituency. During the summer of 2006, NSBE began meeting with their advisor; resulting in the preparation of a strategic plan and the revision for academic success. NSBE received the greatest external acclaim for proposing planning and facilitating the campus's first regional zone conference attracting 184 undergraduate, graduate, and high school registrants; and receiving recognition as Regional Chapter of the Month (October)
From the national headquaters. In addition, they collaborated with the Academic Enhancement Center to become tutors, to promote study groups and tutoring sessions known as NSBE Study Jams. They worked with other outreach organizations at URI, such as the Science and Mathematics Learning Experience (SMILE), and rhe Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) to providing mentoring and role modelling to high and middle school students in Providence and South County. They provided leadership and skills for the URI NSBE Academic Bowl featuring academic questions, inventors, and cultural icons. Due to support from the URI College of Engineering, and increased networking, NSBE has tripled in size over the past year. NSBE was a finalist in the Team Excellence category at the recent Rainvelle Awards.
Origins/URI is being honored for its efforts to incorporate social justice and artistic creativity as core elements of its religious practice. Affiliated with the URI Multicultural Center since 1995, the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) have eveolved their weekly Wednesday night meetings into a Soul Café, one of the best-attended regular events on campus, featuring music film, discussions, and prayer. The organization coordinates and facilitates the Open Mic as a part of URI Diversity Week; collaborates with Anointed and the Office of the URI Chaplains to facilitate URI Martin Luther King Week; and is actively involved in Unity Weekend and the Multicultural Student Organization's slate of volunteer activities last year include partnering with the URI Students for Social Change to inform campus about human rights abuses against children in Uganda by giving a documentary; arranging a Spring Break trip to New Orleans to rebuilding; and collaborating with a school in South Providence to provide tutoring.
