Awards
Every year, our office makes several recognition awards and financial awards for activities related to our mission. Information about our award programs, applications and deadlines can be found below, along with any additional information listed under each award.
With the discretion of the Office, the financial awards’ monetary amount may change.
Louis L. Redding Diversity Award
2020 Oyenike Olabisi
“The Defamation Experience” headlined the University of Delaware’s annual Louis L. Redding Lecture on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. in Mitchell Hall. The three-part experience features a live performance of “Defamation,” a riveting courtroom drama by award-winning playwright Todd Logan that explores the highly charged issues of race, class, religion, gender and the law. The premise is a civil suit in which an African American business owner is suing a Jewish real estate developer for defamation. The twist: the audience is part of the performance, playing the jury in the case. A facilitated discussion followed the show.
The Louis L. Redding Diversity Award was created to recognize individuals or units at UD whose efforts have promoted, enhanced and implemented diversity programs or activities that have resulted in a significant change in the campus climate and composition within the University community.
The Redding Diversity award comes with a $1000 gift. The recipient(s) is (are) honored at the Annual Louis L. Redding Lecture.
Nominations for this award should be submitted to vpd@udel.edu by February 14, 2020. Self nominations are accepted.
Past Awardees
- 2018 Camille Johnson & Ramona Neunuebel
- 2017 – Jennifer Daniels
- 2016 – Jessica Cornwell
- 2015 – José Aviles
- 2014 – Karla Bell & Brian Chad Starks
- 2013 – Kimberly Saunders
- 2012 – no award
- 2011 – James Jones & Kasandra Moye
- 2010 – Melva Ware
- 2008 – Maria Palacas
The Louis Redding Scholar Award
2020 Melissa Lewis “The Defamation Experience” headlined the University of Delaware’s annual Louis L. Redding Lecture on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. in Mitchell Hall. The three-part experience features a live performance of “Defamation,” a riveting courtroom drama by award-winning playwright Todd Logan that explores the highly charged issues of race, class, religion, gender and the law. The premise is a civil suit in which an African American business owner is suing a Jewish real estate developer for defamation. The twist: the audience is part of the performance, playing the jury in the case. A facilitated discussion followed the show.
This award recognizes a student or student group (Grad or Undergraduate) that is a member of a historically underrepresented population at UD, whose academic work and effort have promoted the betterment of the UD campus through racial and cultural awareness about issues of diversity and social justice.
This award comes with a $500 gift. The recipient(s) is (are) honored at the Annual Louis L. Redding Lecture in the spring semester.
Nominations for this award should be submitted to vpd@udel.edu by February 14, 2020.
Past Awardees
- 2017 – Barbara Romero & Jennifer Daniels
- 2016 – Eli Webster
E. Arthur Trabant Women's Equity Award
Trabant Award
This award was established in recognition of the late President Emeritus E. Arthur Trabant’s support for women’s equity at the University of Delaware.
The recipient(s) and their families are honored at the Women of Promise Dinner in the spring semester.
The E. Arthur Trabant Award for Women’s Equity is given annually to any individual, department, administrative unit, or committee who has contributed to equity for women at the University.
It defines “contributions” broadly to encourage as wide a range of nominations as possible, but examples might include developing exemplary programs or curricula, implementing innovative policies and procedures related to women’s equity, and enhancing existing services to women.
Nominations for the award are accepted from any member of the University community and should be submitted to vpd@udel.edu.
Self-nominations must be accompanied by at least one supporting letter from outside the unit.
Past Awardees
- 2019 – Regina Sims Wright
- 2018 – Babatunde Ogunnaike
- 2017– Heather Doty
- 2016 – Jenni Buckley
- 2015 – XXX
- 2014 – Angela Seguin
- 2013 – The Women’s Caucus
- 2012 – The Advance Team – Jessica Schiffman
- 2011 – Monika Shafi
- 2010 – Deborah Bieler
- 2009 – Pamela Cook
Mae Carter Scholarship
Mae Carter Award Women of Promise Dinner held March 19, 2019 in Trabant Multipurpose Room. Speakers Dr Carol E. Henderson, Vice-Provost for Diversity, Dr. Dennis Assanis, President, Dr. Robin Morgan, Provost, and Keynote speaker Dr. Valerie Biden Owens, Vice Chair of the Biden Institute.
The $1,500 scholarship, in honor of Mae Carter, former Assistant Provost for Women’s Affairs and Executive Director of the Commission on the Status of Women, is awarded to an undergraduate woman student at the University who carries the values that Mae Carter has represented to the University community of women.
The applicant must meet the following criteria:
- Undergraduate woman student
- Has attended UD for at least 1 year
- Minimum G.P.A. of 3.0
- Evidence of work to advance the status of women at the University
- Preference given to returning adult women (a woman student who is over 22 and entering college for the first time or returning after a period of time not attending college).
Nominations for the scholarship should be submitted electronically to vpd@udel.edu and include a statement describing the applicant’s background and career plans, as well as evidence of how the individual meets the criteria of the award and a letter of recommendation. Self-nominations are acceptable. The recipient(s) and their families are honored at the annual Women of Promise Dinner in the spring semester.
Past Awardees
- 2019 – Erin Rezich
- 2018- Rebecca Glinn
- 2017 – Pallavi Mathur
- 2016 – Sage Carson & Sanika Salim
- 2015 – Anne Corbett Wright & Rebecca Guarino
- 2014 – Abigail Samuels
- 2013 – Shelah Balakhan
- 2012 – Eleanor Sanderman
- 2011 – Marissa Kinsey
- 2010 – Meredith Ambrose & Meghan Wallace
- 2009 – Carly Wines
- 2008 – Jooyoung Lee
Bessie B. Collins Award
“Bessie Collins awardee Effie Halakos”, also pictured, Dr. Carol Henderson, President Dennis Assanis and Provost Robin Morgan
This $700 award was established to honor the former Dean of Women, Bessie B. Collins, an early advocate and supporter of continuing education for women. The award serves to continue that support and encouragement of women students and to recognize the variety of perspectives, diversity, and richness adult students bring to the University community.
The applicant must meet the following criteria:
- Over 22 years old
- A matriculated woman student
- Minimum G.P.A. of 3.0
- Demonstration of future promise and evidence of overcoming special difficulties
- Contribution to the University and greater communities
Nominations for this scholarship should be submitted to vpd@udel.edu, and include a statement describing the applicant’s background and career plans, as well as evidence of how the individual meets the criteria of the award and a letter of recommendation. Self-nominations are acceptable. The recipients(s) and their families are honored at the annual Women of Promise Dinner in the spring semester.
Past Awardees
- 2018 – Effie Halakos
- 2017– Zhuolun Fu
- 2016 – Christy Mannering & Gwendolyn Gregory
- 2015 – Rebecca Sahraoui
- 2014 – Natalie Cook
- 2013 – Michelle Church
- 2012 – N/A
- 2011 – Talia Sykes
- 2010 – Carissa Young
- 2009 – Jennifer Griffin & Katherin von Duyke
- 2008 – Danielle Aldrich Chellappoo
