Two faculty members honored for advancing multiculturalism at URI

KINGSTON, R.I. -- May 5, 1999 -- Two University of Rhode Island faculty members Drs. Bette Erickson and Paul de Mesquita, both of Kingston received acknowledgment for advancing multiculturalism at the University of Rhode Island.

Erickson was praised for conceiving, conducting and developing the URI Multicultural Center Faculty Fellows Program, a support group of 25 faculty and a handful of students and staff who meet regularly to discuss classroom teaching, their interactions with diverse students, and service or research projects with diverse faculty and staff. The assistant director of the Instructional Development Program, Erickson has been active on the Multicultural Center Advisory Committee, the Faculty of Color and Friends, and the Diversity Week planning committee. Her research interests include faculty development and adjustment of students to college.

de Mesquita was cited for service coordinating Diversity Week, a week-long program of workshops, videos, a keynote address, a poetry slam, and a Graffiti Wall, intended to acknowledge and celebrate the full gamut of multiculturalism. An associate professor in URI,s Psychology Department, de Mesquita has been active on the Multicultural Center advisory committee and the Faculty of Color and Friends. In addition, he is a Multicultural Center Faculty Fellow. His research interests include education reform.

The purpose of the diversity awards is to acknowledge and celebrate those who work with diverse and underrepresented populations in the interests in building a more diverse, just and equitable campus community at URI.

For More Information: Jan Sawyer, 874-2116