2019 Students of Distinction

2019 Students of Distinction

May 9, 2019 | Uncategorized

Dinner celebrates high-achieving students of color and their mentors

The University of Delaware was a transformative part of life for Wali Rushdan II. There was a lot of mixed emotions, he said.

“It was a time at which I was brimming with excitement about achieving my major goals in life,” Rushdan said. “At the same time, it was filled with anxiety and uncertainty about whether or not those ambitions would come to pass.”

Rushdan’s message to the 2019 Students of Distinction was to be proud of the honor and not to underestimate their individual potential. Rushdan was the keynote speaker at the May 1 event in Clayton Hall, organized by the Vice Provost for Diversity Carol Henderson. The event celebrates the achievements of students of color and their relationship with their mentors.

Carol Henderson, vice provost for diversity and professor of Africana Studies, during the 2019 Student of Distinction dinner.
Carol Henderson, vice provost for diversity and professor of Africana Studies, during the 2019 Student of Distinction dinner.

More than a decade ago, Rushdan was in their place when he was recognized for the same honor. He is now an associate at the law firm Fox Rothschild. He challenged the students to think carefully about what this honor means, including the obstacles, power and obligations that come with the distinction.

“What makes you a student of distinction, a key characteristic is that it’s not qualified. It’s a full stop,” Rushdan said. “These are things that you are committed to irrespective of the challenges that are in your way. These are your foundational principles. It’s a no-excuses mentality that you have.”

While the potential and drive are within the individual, Rushdan said he would not be where he is today without the many mentors that believed in him. He specifically recognized a few of those whole helped him at UD including Henderson, Center for Black Culture Director Kasandra Moye and former Director of Financial Aid Johnie Burton. He also recognized Gregory Williams, a partner in his law firm, who impacted Rushdan’s career.

Wali Rushdan II (second from left) speaks with students during the 2019 Students of Distinction dinner.
Wali Rushdan II (second from left) speaks with students during the 2019 Students of Distinction dinner.

“At every stage in my life, I’ve been the beneficiary of mentors,” Rushdan said. “Some of which happened organically. Many of which did not look like me. Many of which had different cultural experiences than I did. So I want to make sure we’re clear that mentors can take many different forms in your life and sometimes you have to be proactive about seeking them out.”

He closed by asking the audience to participate in a call and response of an affirmation he repeats regularly:

Now I am the voice. I will lead not follow. I will believe not doubt. I will create not destroy. I am a force for good. I am a leader. Defy the odds. Set a new standard. Step up. Step up. Step up.

Power of Mentorship

UD Provost Robin Morgan congratulated the full room of award winners on this special honor. Faculty and staff members can nominate any undergraduate or graduate students of color they believe are deserving of this award. Nominees are then celebrated at the annual dinner with their faculty and staff nominators.

“You’re here tonight, because someone noticed you,” Morgan said. “You caught their eye and you caught their attention. A faculty member or a staff member has looked at you and seen potential.”

UD Provost Robin Morgan (fourth from left) stands with keynote speaker Wali Rushdan II and several of the 2019 Students of Distinction.
UD Provost Robin Morgan (fourth from left) stands with keynote speaker Wali Rushdan II and several of the 2019 Students of Distinction.

Similar to Rushdan, Morgan said mentorship completely changed the direction of her life. Her mentor introduced her to new avenues, like the idea of going to graduate school. She warned them not to take the power of mentorship for granted.

“You are students of distinction and we are very, very proud of every one of you,” Morgan said. “We are also proud of the faculty and the staff members who identified you and taken their evening to come and spend time with us, too.”

Henderson congratulated the 2019 winners and emphasized the impact of mentorship on the larger UD community.

“You earned the right to be here,” Henderson said. “In this fashion, this distinction is by extension a community effort that owes much of its synergies to the African principle of Ubuntu: I am because we are.”

She thanked all of those who helped put the event together. She also recognized several high school student groups invited to the event in the hopes getting an introduction to UD and building relationships that may one day become mentorships. This included students from the mentoring-focused groups Ladies of Legacy and Aspira of Delaware, as well as Dha’zhea Freeman, who impressed judges of a YMCA of Delaware essay contest with her words about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freeman is scheduled to be a first-year student at UD in the fall.

Henderson noted there are many ways to think about mentorship, but highlighted the interpretation by Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis. He wrote, “True teachers use themselves as bridges over which they invite their students to cross; then, having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create bridges of their own.”

Some of the 2019 Students of Distinction gathered with their faculty-staff nominators at the annual dinner at Clayton Hall.
Some of the 2019 Students of Distinction gathered with their faculty-staff nominators at the annual dinner at Clayton Hall.

2019 Students of Distinction

College of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Behnam Abasht, Michael Abshat, Michael Babak, Matthew Bott and Jordyn Stevens

College of Arts and Sciences

Janelly Abreu, Victoria Acevedo, Javier Aguiar, Shumailah Ahmad-Statts, Patience Ankomah, Elaine Ansah, David Arredondo, Jason Austin, Kobe Baker, Keith Barnes, Thomas Bond, Sean Briscoe, Chenesia Brown, Camilo Cardenas, William Cavin, Jr., Sharlie Chisholm, Taurence Chisholm, Jr., Maria Chudzik, Nigel Clark, Norma Cruz, Rufino Cruz, Andre Cunningham, Wyatt Dawson, Leon DeShields, Jonay Desire, Kathryn Dias, Martine Edmond, Jean Filo, Braulio Florentino, Rigoberto Flores, Keynon Harris-Miller, Briana Kenry, Yanko Hernando, Lindsay Hoffman, Gillian Isabelle, Jayda Jenkins, Caleigh Johnson, Semaj Kelly, Edwin Lopez, Nana Marfo, Tylor Matthews, Keith Medley, Rigoberto Mejia, Donte Moore, Lizbeth Mora-Martinez, Eden Negusse, Brandon Okeyo, Comfort Osundina, Anthony Ozuna-Pena, Amorelle Penick, Garciela Perez, Courtney Porter, Michael Pugh, Daniele Richards, Maame Riverson, Ade Robertson, Atlas Moon Rodriguez-Decker, Barbara Romero-Duenas, Dianna Ruberto, Miata Smith, Jymere Stillis-Stanford, Michael Sydnor, Domonique Thurston, Santiago Vizcaino, Kayla Williams, David Wilson, Alexis Wrease, Heran Yosef, Marvin Smith

Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics

Queen Agboye, Leah Austin, Patrick Bingham, Andrew Connell, Martisha Durant, Amanda Flores, Shawn Futch, Paul Gathii, Jordan Glenn, Russell Harris, Arynn Hernandez, Cesar Hernandez Sanchez, Tiana Jarman, Jazzlynn Jefferson, Melissa Jones, Cindy King, Chris Lynch, Briana Mateo, Iyanna McCoy, Andre McMillan, Joshua Moreira, Onyekachi Njubigbo, Destini Robinson, April Singleton, Malachi Walker

College of Earth, Ocean and Environment

Hanna Baffone, Brielle Bianchini, Ramiro Bruno, Kaylee Croce, Marissa McClenton, Christine Obeng, Jared Williams, Iris Perez-Mazariegos

College of Education and Human Development

Racine Boyle, Kwaku Edusei, Maame Bema Kyeadea-Amponsah, Joshua Lewis, Kadisha Mack, Nicole Mejia, Timothy Penn, Lindsey Perez-Perez, Alexus Ramirez, Nicole Robinson, Jillian Solomon, Mie-Hawa Sumner, Deandra Taylor, Jordana Woodford, Christina Woodson, Nefetaria Yates

College of Engineering

Abubakarr Bah, Kelechi Chukwunenye, Jorge Hernandez, Chin-Pao Huang, Keira Morgan, Olivia Powell, Stephanie Ross, Daniel Sanchez Carretero, Alexis Withers

College of Health Sciences

Luisa Abadia, Ayomide Adeoti, Shantelle Aidoo, Nana Asante, Justin Brown, Jordan Carr, George Class-Peters, Rachel DeLauder, Ngozi Dom-Chima, Leon Elcock, Camille Rischer, Vivian Guyton, Francisco Hernandez, Cindy Iheanacho, Sierra Kahete, Danyella Lopez-Juarez, Meiling Genavieve Miranda, Lizette Morales-Ixtepan, Abdual Musa, Maria Noguez Perez, Amber Rance, Keyanna Riddick, Keddy Rwara, Kameelah Slater, Gloria Soto, Ariona Thornton

University Studies

Christina Baughan, Aderolake Bolarinwa, Cassandra Harris

Article by Carlett Spike | Photos by Kevin Quinlan | May 09, 2019
2019 Women of Promise

2019 Women of Promise

Mar 20, 2019 | Uncategorized

Valerie Biden Owens encourages women to choose their own path

Women are primary forces, by nature, Valerie Biden Owens said. This is a fundamental truth, she told a room of mostly women students, faculty and staff during her keynote address at the University of Delaware’s annual Women of Promise dinner. The March 19 event, held in the Trabant University Center, celebrated the achievements of UD women and the power of mentorship.

Although the world continues to be hostile to women and there are many hurdles to jump though, building confidence is the first step to becoming a leader, Biden Owens said.

“UD gave me the freedom and the knowledge and the platform to nurture my confidence and to grow into myself and prove my brother right,” Biden Owens said, referring to her brother, Joe Biden, the former U.S. vice president and among UD’s most famous alumni. “Confidence begins with conviction. You must find your own true north — the values that you stand for and the things that you simply cannot abide.”

Biden Owens, who serves as vice chair of the Biden Institute at UD’s Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration, knows a great deal about finding courage throughout her career in politics. She was one of the first women in the United States to manage major campaigns, running all of her brother’s senatorial and presidential campaigns. She’s also served as a senior adviser to the United Nations and on the national board of the Women’s Leadership Forum of the Democratic National Committee. Biden Owens said she spent much of her career mentoring women on how to influence the political process.

She encouraged the women in the room to liken their journey to the famous words of the sculptor Michelangelo:

Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it. I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.

“So many of us fail to see the angel in the marble when it comes to our own capacity to lead and that’s especially true of women,” she said. “So pick up your chisel, carve out your angel. Carve out your rightful place. When you’re finished carving your rightful place, turn around and hand that chisel to the woman behind you.”

Carol Henderson, UD vice provost for diversity, congratulated the women in the room on their journey to excellence. She reminded them of the purpose of this dinner.

“The Women of Promise dinner is one of those events that celebrates outstanding accomplishments of our student scholars and the mentors who inspire them to be their best selves — uniquely, creatively and courageously,” Henderson said. “This event was developed over 40 years ago by former assistant provost of women affairs, Ms. Mae Carter, to elevate the idea of mentoring on our campus.”

In addition to the women from all seven of UD’s colleges who were recognized as 2019 Women of Promise, Henderson also presented two diversity awards. Erin Rezich won the Mae Carter Scholarship Award, and the E. Arthur Trabant Award for Women’s Equity was awarded to Regina Sims Wright.

UD President Dennis Assanis said it is no accident that this celebration was held during March since it is Women’s History Month. International Women’s Day was celebrated on March 8. It’s also a significant moment in time, as this year marks the 100th anniversary of Congress passing the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote, though it wasn’t ratified by the states until the following year, so there are two chances to celebrate this important milestone, he said. Also this year, a record number of women took seats in Congress, he added.

At UD, many women have contributed to the University’s legacy, Assanis said. Historically, these women include Mae Carter, Amy du Pont, Bessie Collins and Winifred Robinson. More recently, it includes the women who are part of UD’s leadership team, including Provost Robin Morgan. Assanis also acknowledged his wife, Eleni Assanis, for her partnership throughout his life and career.

Women of Promise Dinner 2019

UD Provost Robin Morgan

It is now time for the younger generation of women to continue to shape that history, he said.

“If we truly want to accomplish our biggest advances in science, technology, health and engineering and the arts, we absolutely need to be committed to bringing more and more opportunities to the women in the world,” he said. “We can’t afford to leave anyone out of these conversations, so we need your contributions. That’s especially important.“

Morgan said she has many fond memories of this event throughout the years. She encouraged the room of mentees and mentors to make the most of their time together and of the network of women at UD.

“You’re going to carve your path, too, and as you do that and go forward, remember this night,” Morgan said. “Remember all the women you’ve gathered with and keep those connections. They’re really important to you and they will help you. We’re here investing in your future. We’re very proud of where you are now and extremely excited about where you will be.”

Flanked by UD Vice Provost for Diversity Carol Henderson (left) and UD President Dennis Assanis (right), Regina Sims Wright won the E. Arthur Trabant Award for Women’s Equity at the 2019 Women of Promise dinner.
Flanked by UD Vice Provost for Diversity Carol Henderson (left) and UD President Dennis Assanis (right), Regina Sims Wright won the E. Arthur Trabant Award for Women’s Equity at the 2019 Women of Promise dinner.

About Women of Promise

Through the years, Women of Promise has recognized exceptional female students at the University of Delaware. Women on UD’s faculty nominate both undergraduate and graduate students for this award. Each year a dinner is also held to celebrate and promote positive mentoring relationship between female faculty and the students they nominate. The event is organized by the Office of the Vice Provost for Diversity.

During the event, the recipients of the E. Arthur Trabant Award for Women’s Equity and the Mae Carter Scholarship are recognized. The E. Arthur Trabant Award for Women’s Equity is given annually to any individual, department, administrative unit or committee that has contributed to equity for women at the University. The Mae Carter Scholarship is awarded to a female undergraduate student at the University who carries the values that Mae Carter has represented to the University community of women. The award highlights someone who continuously works to advance the status of women on campus.

Flanked by UD Vice Provost for Diversity Carol Henderson (left) and UD President Dennis Assanis (right), Erin Rezich won the Mae Carter Scholarship Award at the 2019 Women of Promise dinner.
Flanked by UD Vice Provost for Diversity Carol Henderson (left) and UD President Dennis Assanis (right), Erin Rezich won the Mae Carter Scholarship Award at the 2019 Women of Promise dinner.

2019 Women of Promise award recipients

College of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Juliann Callan, Samone DeFreese, Lindsay Erndwein, Leah Ferguson, Erin Jackson, Alexa Johnson, Julia Kesselring, Melissa Langer, Lauren Mosesso, Jaclyn Soulas, Taozhu Sun, Xinwen Zhang.

Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics

Leah Austin, Katelyn Beird, Julia Forster, Yuanxue Gao, Arynn Hernandez, Kelsey Lona, Iyanna McCoy, Shae Muller, Isabel Orticelle, Angelica Rivera, Caroline Ros, Kaitlyn Scott, Jacqueline Siino, Alisha Valdivia, Raveena Wadhwa, Emily Williamson.

College of Arts and Sciences

Simone Adkins, Lindsay Andrew, Christabelle Ayensu-Asiedu, Atieh Babakhani, Sierra Bacon, Seyanna Barrett, Maddie Cann, Amy Ciminnisi, Isabelle Cohen, Sydney Cole, Mary Grace Colonna, Mallory Coughlin, Ruiming Du, Dantae Elliott, Christiana Erba, Annabelle Fichtner, Amanda Flores, Anuththara Gangoda, Cara Giordano, Kirsten Gobb, Katherine Holden, Charquetta Hudon, Daykia Hunter-McKnight, Olivia Jaeger, Noor Jamal, Mariela Jimenez, Kate Kafonek, Samantha Kasehagen, Nicole Kushner, Jordan Langs, Lauren Lee, Linjin Li, Alison Lobo, Veronika Lynch, Heather Marsh, Katherine Mazur, Monica Mesa Alarez, Casey Moore, Brett (Mei) Moore, Kaitlyn Mounts, Katherine Nails, Natalie Pagenstecher, Ashley Paintsil, Jaina Patel, Diana Peterson, Olivia Reiff, Samantha Rex, Barbara Romero Duenas, Shannon Streisel, Caroline Tobin Luisa Turbino Torres, Laura White.

College of Earth, Ocean and Environment

Emily Aiken, Jacquelyn Attardi, Christina Baughn, Mindie Bitting, Saber Brasher, Katie Buell-Fleming, Alexis De Santi, Maryam Golbazi, Julia Guimond, Katie Hudson, Abigail Huebler, Laura Johnson, Jennifer Joseph, Emily Jaiser, Camille Kauffman, Kyra Kim, Rebecca King, Hannah Kirk, Emily Lewis, Carol Lyell, Haley Oleynik, Sophie Phillips, Nicole Rucker, Leanna Stackhouse, Rebecca Vandzura, Maoli Vizcaino, Zhaojun Wang, Rucha Wani, Emily Watson.

College of Education and Human Development  

Aly Blakeney, Natalie Brousseau, Claire Choi, Emily Harris, Libby Heiks, Laura Hougentogler, Jennifer Juarez, Imani Lawson, Samantha Leonard, Kathleen Manta, Suhey Matamoros, Hillary May, Nicole Mejia, Kaitlin O’Connor, Alexa Pedulla, Linette Ross, Angela Russo, Marissa Snyder, Deandra Taylor.

College of Engineering

Larissa Gaul, Ashley Gold, Zhang Guo, Emily Kolewe, Christina Le Febvre, Grace Mcllvaine, Shannon McNaul, Jennifer Medhaug, Laurie Metzler, Joy Muthami, Olivia Powell, Janelle Skaden, Haoran Wei, Katie Woodacre.

College of Health Sciences

Gercy Abad, Luisa Abadia, Kristin Alwell, Elanna Arhos, Elham Bakhshipour, Rachael Belinfontie, Cara Cicalo, Stephanie Davis, Kathleen Davis, Mingchang Ding, Jessica Eosso, Amy Jackson, Sarah Jacobs, Kate Koluch, Kathryn Krecicki, Tara McKenna, Shannon Murphy, Michelle Norton, Macy Oteri, Taylor Pearson, Rashiqah Syed, Christina Warden, Alexis Weikert, Madison Werth.

The 2019 Women of Promise dinner, held in the Trabant University Center, celebrated the achievements of UD women and the power of mentorship.
The 2019 Women of Promise dinner, held in the Trabant University Center, celebrated the achievements of UD women and the power of mentorship.
Article by Carlett Spike | Photos by Lane McLaughlin | March 29, 2019
Fight to End Segregation Not Over

Fight to End Segregation Not Over

Oct 31, 2018 | Uncategorized

Mary Frances Berry delivers the annual Louis L. Redding Lecture

In the 1954 landmark case, Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court said separate but equal education was inherently unequal. Civil rights activist and educator Mary Frances Berry said despite this, segregation in schools persists today.

“[The belief was] that the good white people in America would do that right thing,” Berry said on Thursday, Oct. 25, when she spoke at the University of Delaware’s Mitchell Hall. “If we win the lawsuit and if we win the case in Brown, then segregation will end…. Well that didn’t happen.”

Berry shared these views during her keynote address at the annual Louis L. Redding Lecture, which honors the late civil rights activist and lawyer from Wilmington. Redding was part of the legal team fighting against segregation in the Brown v. Board of Education case.

UD President Dennis Assanis shared a bit about Redding and his legacy. Redding was the first African-American attorney admitted to the Delaware Bar, where he served as the only non-white member for more than two decades. In 2013, the University dedicated a new residence hall in Redding’s honor.

“The diversity that Mr. Redding helped create continues to increase our community today,” Assanis said. “We often say that the University was founded 275 years ago in 1743. I like to say that the inclusive excellence pillar of UD was actually founded in 1951 [when black students were first admitted to UD because of Redding’s lawsuit against the university], and that’s an important statement. We are grateful for Louis Redding’s vision and hard work.”

As part of the evening, awards were presented to individuals in the community who have made a difference.

Berry, the Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought and professor of history at the University of Pennsylvania, has dedicated her life to fighting for civil rights, gender equality and social justice. She served as the chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights from 1993 to 2004. A professor and former chancellor of the University of Colorado Boulder (the first woman to head a major research university), Berry has decades of experience with race and education.

She drew on these experiences to explain the challenges the U.S. education system continues to face. She focused first on K-12 education — the pipeline to colleges — where she said there is overemphasis on standardized testing. She dubbed the U.S. educational system, “standardized test score junkies.”

“Instead of testing people on what we taught them,” she said, “we test them on what we didn’t teach them.”

This obsession disproportionately affects students of color, particularly black and Latino students, she said. As a result, many end up left behind and never make it out of the pipeline to college. She offered that more teachers must be willing to meet students where they are, instead of teaching from where they are expected to be.

Due to the problems in the pipeline, the pool of college students start off with a diversity problem, Berry said. The number of minority students enrolled to earn degrees is a stark difference compared to the overall population.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 13 percent of black students and 18 percent of Hispanic students were enrolled in a degree-granting institution in 2016. Those numbers are 6.9 percent for Asian students, and less than 1 for Native Americans. These numbers are dismal, Berry said.

She noted that the institutional problems obviously extend outside of education. Speaking particularly of the black experience, she said there continues to be danger in everyday activities.

“It’s not just driving while black anymore,” she said. “It’s living while black.”

Although there is still much work to be done and it can often feel like little progress has been made, she said those who won awards that evening are examples of the change-makers society needs. Her message was just do something.

“If we want to make change, continue — all of you that got awards as well as the other people — to do what you can do,” Berry said. “There’s something you can do everyday. When you see something happening, you can do something, whether you do it surreptitiously or whether you do it out in the open.”

Berry examines these issues as well as other movements she’s been part of in her latest book, History Teaches Us to Resist: How Progressive Movements Have Succeeded in Challenging Times.

Honoring Change Makers

During the awards portion of the evening, UD Vice Provost for Diversity Carol Henderson thanked the honorees for their dedication in the fight for civil rights. She borrowed a few words from political leader and activist Nelson Mandela to highlight the impact of the winners.

“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul — notes great humanitarian, social activist and former president Nelson Mandela — than the way in which a society treats its children,” Henderson said.

2018 Louis L. Redding Award Winners

  • Camille Sims-Johnson
  • Ramona Neunuebel

2018 Recognition of Legends Roll Call

  • Rep. James Johnson
  • Sen. Margaret Rose Henry
  • Raye Jones Avery
  • Beatrice Ross Coker
  • Patricia DeLeon
  • Jane Hovington
  • Lawrence Livingston
  • Maria Matos
  • Jeanne Nutter
  • Terry Whittaker
  • Freeman Williams
Co-winners of the 2018 Louis L. Redding Award, Ramona Neunuebel, assistant professor of biological sciences at UD (left) and Camille Sims-Johnson, director of UD’s Upward Bound Math/Science program (right).
Co-winners of the 2018 Louis L. Redding Award were Ramona Neunuebel, assistant professor of biological sciences at UD (left) and Camille Sims-Johnson, director of UD’s Upward Bound Math/Science program.

Article by Carlett Spike | Photo by Kevin Quinlan | October 31, 2018

National Diversity Award

National Diversity Award

Sep 18, 2018 | Uncategorized

The University of Delaware has been presented the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. The annual HEED Award is a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. This is the second year UD has been named as a HEED Award recipient.

“The University of Delaware is proud to be recognized once again for the diligent and ongoing efforts of our faculty and staff to build a more diverse and inclusive community,” said UD President Dennis Assanis. “We are dedicated to welcoming all students and providing them with the opportunities and resources they need to succeed here and throughout their lives.”

UD was selected for its dedication to enhancing diversity and inclusion in all aspects of the campus community. This commitment has been demonstrated through creation of new staff positions, new programming, training, scholarships and community-based partnerships focused on attracting, retaining and valuing underrepresented staff, faculty and students.

Specific areas of progress include:

  • Since 2012, the representation of underrepresented minority students and students of color at UD has consistently increased among Associate in Arts, undergraduate, graduate, and Professional and Continuing Studies students.
  • The percentage of women with STEM majors has steadily increased almost yearly at UD since 2012. The percentage of underrepresented minority undergraduate and graduate students with STEM majors has also increased since 2012.
  • Since 2012, UD’s four-year graduation rates rose for most groups pursuing bachelor’s degrees. The University’s four-year graduation rate is consistently above the graduation rates of AAU public institutions for Hispanic/Latino(a)s and women pursuing bachelor’s degrees.
  • Women faculty have increased in representation over the past five years, constituting 44 percent of all UD faculty in 2017. Faculty racial/ethnic diversity has also increased since 2012, with the largest gains occurring for Asian tenured/tenure track and Black/African American non-tenure track faculty.

Carol Henderson, vice provost for diversity at UD, said, “It is encouraging to see the University’s steady progress and engagement in creating a more diverse and inclusive campus. Though there is still much work to be done, the dedication of so many staff, faculty and students in this effort is truly inspiring.”

UD will be featured along with 95 other award recipients in the November 2018 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.

According to Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the HEED Award process consists of a “comprehensive and rigorous application” that includes questions relating to the recruitment and retention of students and employees — and best practices for both — continued leadership support for diversity, and other aspects of campus diversity and inclusion.

“We take a detailed approach to reviewing each application in deciding who will be named a HEED Award recipient,” Pearlstein said. “Our standards are high, and we look for institutions where diversity and inclusion are woven into the work being accomplished every day across their campus.”

To learn more about the University’s plans for and progress toward advancing inclusive excellence, visit https://sites.udel.edu/diversity/.

For more information about INSIGHT Into Diversity and the HEED Award, visit insightintodiversity.com. The full list of 2018 HEED Award recipients can be found here.

Article by Cindy Hall | Photo by Evan Krape | September 18, 2018

Persistence through the Ph.D.

Persistence through the Ph.D.

Jul 16, 2018 | Uncategorized

Dedication to mentoring others leads to success

Asia Dowtin’s Ph.D. research examined rainfall in five woodland sites from Wilmington, Delaware, to Fair Hill, Maryland.

Looking back on her graduate student career at University of Delaware, Asia Dowtin sees two themes that enabled her success: persistence and community engagement.

Early in her work here, she had to overcome a switch in advisers, and the research that would underpin her Ph.D. studies almost ended before it began. But for the entire six years she spent studying the hydrology of urban forests, Dowtin surmounted the obstacles and actively worked to engage younger students, both undergraduates and K-12, in the work she loves. That student engagement was one of the factors that helped her land a tenure-track faculty position at Michigan State University starting this summer.

Dowtin and her adviser, Department of Geography Chair Del Levia, Professor of Ecohydrology, collaborated on a piece published in Science today, June 8, that addresses some of the challenges she faced, including the way her doctoral research was imperiled by a non-uniformed officer in an unmarked car stopping her and two undergraduate assistants in the forest in Wilmington, Delaware’s Rockford Park on the first day of her fieldwork. Dowtin’s attempts to address the unexpected concerns from officials garnered no response, and the research was in question until Levia stepped in.

The incident was such a turning point for Dowtin’s work and the way the two of them work together that they thought it could be beneficial to share with their scholarly community. Levia thought it would be good to share how Dowtin was able to persevere with the support of the mentor-mentee relationship the two of them had built on common vision and open communication.

“The ‘Working Life’ section of Science is of critical importance as it provides a beacon of hope for many in science,” Levia said. “It is a place where people can go to learn about the experiences of others and to benefit from them.”

When he brought the idea for a “Working Life” story to Dowtin, she agreed.

“I also wanted to highlight the fact that students of color do face these challenges,” Dowtin said, adding that she wants to help advisers from different backgrounds realize they need to listen to their graduate students’ experiences or even draw them out when they notice students may be struggling. “There are going to be a bunch of challenges that come at you regardless of what you look like, and there are going to be challenges that come at you because of what you look like.”

Asia Dowtin’s research took her to woodland sites in Delaware and Maryland.

Dowtin’s time at UD’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment was defined by both her persistence and the way she proactively worked for an inclusive community and provided opportunities for younger students.

Her research involved more than 150 collectors and gauges spread across five sites in two states, from Fair Hill in Maryland to Alapocas Woods in Wilmington. There was no way she could collect all the data herself, but that was an opportunity, not a problem. Over two and a half years, Dowtin had 17 undergraduates from four UD colleges help with data collection, and those students received course credits, with some even using data for their own research.

Beyond incorporating undergraduates in her research, Dowtin also embraced many opportunities to mentor high schoolers during her time at UD. She led students in the Delaware Chapter of the Nature Conservancy’s Leaders in Environmental Action for the Future program in a project mapping the trails behind the Delaware Museum of Natural History. She spoke at elementary schools and public libraries.

And nearly every summer she was at UD, Dowtin brought teenagers from the city of Wilmington’s Green Jobs program to campus, teaching them about topics like forest hydrology and urban forestry, but also just making a point to get them to the University, to emphasize that UD is for Delawareans, including them.

“I feel a personal obligation to make sure that as I come up in this academic world that I help people up who look like me,” Dowtin said. “It is important to me to be a role model for black and brown kids. There are not a lot of people of color in this department or this field.”

Dowtin said her experience reaching into the community and working with undergraduates were attractive to Michigan State, where her new position as assistant professor in urban and community forestry combines teaching, research and extension work, in which she will help community members address urban forestry problems and opportunities in East Lansing and Detroit.

“This job is literally the fulfillment of dreams I had kept to myself for many years,” Dowtin said. “None of this would have been possible if I hadn’t had all of the experiences I did here, the good and the bad.”

Del Levia (left) congratulates his Ph.D. student Asia Dowtin during the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment’s Honors Day ceremony this spring.

 

UDaily Article by Mark Jolly-Van Bodegraven | Photos by Judy Rolfe and Leah Dodd | June 08, 2018