-: Good evening.
Thank you all so much for joining us.
The University of Nebraska
is a public land grand institution with campuses
and programs across the state
that reside on the past, present,
and future homelands of the Pune, Panka, Otoe-Missouria,
Omaha, Dakota, Lakota, Arapahoe, Cheyenne, and Call peoples,
as well as the relocated Ho-Chunk, Winnebago, Iowa,
and Sac and Fox peoples.
As a land grant institution, we strive to connect the land,
knowledge and access.
Truth and acknowledgement are critical
to building mutual respect and connection
across all barriers of heritage and difference.
We begin this effort to acknowledge
what has been buried by honoring the truth,
we are standing on the ancestral lands of the first peoples
who occupy this area we now call Nebraska.
We pay respects to native elders past and present.
This knowledge allows us to better understand
that our opportunity to impact the state of Nebraska
and beyond, and occupy these lands
is a result of a history of native
and indigenous people's experience of displacement,
violence, settlement, and survival,
which continues to inform our present and future.
Welcome to the 2023 Nebraska Diversity
Equity Inclusion Impact Awards.
I am Nkenge Friday,
senior Assistant Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives
in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion,
and I am elated to welcome our recipients and guests,
both in person and via livestream
to our third annual ceremony.
The Nebraska DEI Impact Awards were established in 2021
by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion
to recognize individuals and groups
who actively advance diversity, equity,
and inclusion, and transformative and sustainable ways
at the University of Nebraska, the community, and beyond.
These awards are themed within six categories
with two of these added this year,
Diversity Leadership Faculty Award,
Diversity Leadership Staff Award,
Promising Leader Award with individual recipients
for undergraduate and graduate or professional students,
Collective Impact Award, and our two new categories,
Diversity, Community, Nebraska Community Impact Award
and Diversity Leadership Alumni Award.
Each year, nominations open in early spring
for all categories.
Our selection process is based on nominations received,
which are open to all members of our campus community
and our alumni body as we actively seek nominations
to speak towards work, practice, service, and teaching,
all aligning with the university's core values
and our principles of inclusive excellence.
This year we are pleased to recognize members
of our university community,
broader Nebraska community
and alumni based on nominating material
that crisscrossed our campus, our state and nation,
and expands across our colleges and units.
In addition, we are grateful
for our Nebraska DEI Impact Award Review Committee.
This committee was comprised of members of our faculty,
staff, and student body.
If in attendance, we ask that members of the committee,
please stand at this time so that we can acknowledge you
for your time and your support.
(crowd claps)
Thank you.
More information on the Nebraska DEI Impact Awards
can be found at diversity.unl.edu.
We welcome you again to the 2023 Nebraska DEI Impact Awards
in hope tonight's recipients and their service inspire
and influence collective action towards inclusive action.
Now we will have our Diversity Leadership Staff Award
by Terry Haverkost, president of the Staff Senate.
-: Good evening.
-: Hi, I'm Terry Haverkost.
I'm the president of the Staff Senate.
The purpose of the University
of Nebraska Lincoln Staff Senate is to be an advisory body
on issues to institutional policies and practices
that relate to the staff
to serve as a forum for exchange of ideas,
to promote common interests among the staff,
to advocate for staff welfare and development,
to suggest revisions and initiatives
to improve staff policies,
and to participate in the formulation
of institutional policy and governance.
On behalf of the Staff Senate
at the University of Nebraska Lincoln,
it gives me great pleasure to announce the winner
of the third annual Diversity Leadership Staff Award.
This award designed to highlight
the outstanding contribution to diversity, equity,
and inclusion by a member of the UNL staff represents
the transformative and impactful work
by members of our dedicated and innovative staff.
This year's recipient
of the Diversity Leadership Staff Award
is Markeya Peteranetz, assistant Director of Assessment
and Analytics in the College of Engineering,
Engineering and Computer Education Core.
Dr. Peteranetz' work has helped to elevate
and inform conversations in the College of Engineering
around inclusive excellence.
She has played a crucial role
in the college-wide climate survey that was conducted
in the fall of 2021 and the subsequent actions
that have been taken in response to the survey results.
Additionally, Dr. Peteranetz was instrumental
in the process of creating
the rubrics College
of Engineering faculty hiring committees use
to evaluate candidate teaching, research
and diversity statements.
These rubrics increase the objectivity
and fairness of the hiring process
for each faculty position,
contribute to college efforts to recruit
and retain an excellent and diverse faculty,
and have been used
in every hiring cycle since they were created.
Dr. Peteranetz has recently transitioned into a new role
where she's more regularly analyzing and reporting
on institutional data to college leadership.
In the short few months she has been doing this work,
she has already begun to standardize this reporting in a way
that will ensure diversity
and equity oriented analyses will be baked
into the college data for use for years to come.
Dr. Peteranetz' nominator noted,
"She has made significant contributions
to the College of Engineering's efforts
to create a diverse and inclusive community
through her outstanding work."
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Markeya Peteranetz
as the diversity leadership staff award recipient
for the 2022, 2023 academic year.
(crowd claps)
-: Okay, I'm incredibly honored
to be here today receiving this award.
The Markeya from 10 years ago would have
a hard time believing I would end up here
in front of all of you.
The impact that this award recognizes
is not something I can claim as my own.
I have exceptional colleagues in the College of Engineering,
a few of which are here with me today,
who have been part of the efforts that Terry just described.
I'm fortunate to get to work with staff
who are dedicated to building an inclusive community
through their everyday actions
who are willing to have tough conversations about
what it means to center equity and inclusion
in higher education,
and who are willing to give people space to grow.
I would also like to recognize our leaders
in the College of Engineering, especially our dean,
Dr. Lance Perez and Associate Dean, Dr. Yusong Li.
My work on the climate survey
and the candidate statement rubrics was only possible
because our college leadership made a choice
to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The collective focus in the college
on inclusive excellence was recently recognized
on the national stage
when we became one of only three colleges of engineering
in the country to be honored at the silver level
by the American Society
of Engineering Education's Diversity Recognition program.
I am proud to be part of a college working so hard
to make engineering, computing
and construction more inclusive,
and a university that chooses
to prioritize inclusive excellence.
Thank you.
(crowd claps)
-: Hello, my name is Jake Drake and I proudly serve
as the UNL's ASUN Student Body President and student regent
for the 2022, 2023 term.
As President of the Association of Students
at the University of Nebraska,
our primary goal is to serve as the representative voice
of UNL's student body and on behalf of ASUN,
it gives me great pleasure to announce the winner
of the third annual Promising Undergraduate Leader Award.
This award designed to highlight
the outstanding contribution to diversity, equity,
and inclusion by undergraduate student leaders
at the University of Nebraska Lincoln represents
the transformative and impactful work initiated
by our undergraduate student leaders.
This year's winner
of the promising undergraduate student leader
is Daelyn Zaguski,
a senior in Fisheries and Wildlife major
in the School of Natural Resources.
Daelyn is also a former undergraduate research assistant
for the Genoa Indian School Digital Reconciliation Project
and the current president
of the University of Nebraska Intertribal Exchange Unite.
Daelyn is a testament to the fact
that to be an inclusive Husker resilience
and character matter.
Coming from a Native American Indian reservation,
Daelyn had to overcome barriers many indigenous students
like herself face, yet due to the limited opportunities
while growing up, Daelyn faced challenges adjusting
to the academic rigors of UNL classes.
The pandemic only exacerbated these challenges.
However, Daelyn persisted.
In the end, Daelyn is thriving and embodied
the values of successful Huskers.
She worked hard, remained humble, and never gave up.
Daelyn mentors high school students participating
in the Winnebago Academy,
she's played a leadership role
in planning last year's powwow
that brought more than 300 community members to campus.
She's also currently leading the organization plan
for this year's powwow.
Her nominator noted,
"Daelyn understands the importance of education and carries
the responsibility to be an exemplary role model
for younger members of her community,
a task that she has exceeded and takes seriously."
She has also organized an experiential trip for indigenous
and non-indigenous students alike.
Due to her leadership, she's regularly asked to sit
on student panels for Lincoln Public Schools
and the University of Nebraska.
Furthermore, Daelyn was selected
as a recipient of the Trenchard Foundation
and Chief Standing Bear Scholarships,
two highly selective awards.
Please join me in congratulating Daelyn Zaguski
as the recipient of the promising undergraduate leader
for the 2022 2023 academic year.
(crowd cheers)
Congratulations.
-: Thank you.
Hello, everyone.
(speaks foreign language)
They call me Daelyn.
I'd like to start out by saying thank you
to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion
for giving this award to me.
This was very unexpected and I'm a little shocked,
but I'm very grateful for it.
There are four recognized tribes in Nebraska
and I'm happy to say that I come from one of them,
the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.
Due to school and work,
I don't have much time to go home and visit.
Even though that's the case for me,
I like doing things that can make my family
and friends back home proud of me.
I like to be someone that can represent my tribe
and where I come from because in a lot of places,
native representation is not always seen,
and it should be more due to all the barriers
that we have to face coming to places like this.
My time at UNL has been great for my experiences,
but isolating in my classes.
I tried to make friends in my classes,
but it was hard and none of them really stuck for me.
One of the best things I did for myself
as a freshman was join UNITE,
the University of Nebraska Inter Tribal Exchange.
My friends that I've had
for the duration of my college experience came from UNITE.
In my junior year I became the vice president,
and this year I became the president.
When I was a freshman,
I remember thinking how I would just continue
to be an active member and not take any leadership roles
in UNITE, but then I realized it was a possible task
for me to lead.
Recently, my advisor told me that I was a quiet
but great leader.
It it's very true,
but even though I'm still viewed as being quiet,
I have grown a lot in my communication the past few years.
Through my leadership in UNITE,
I wanted to make it a safe space
for Native American students.
I wanted UNITE to be that community for them
while they were on campus,
a community that understands them.
This year, we've accomplished a lot of events
from educating people on Indigenous People's Day
to bonding activities like carving pumpkins.
Currently, we've been planning our powwow
and working very hard on all of that.
With my job on Reconciliation Rising,
I take pride in it because it's focused on land back
for native people.
I try to volunteer at the Indian Center or in panels
whenever I'm available because I enjoy meeting others
and educating them as well.
My hope for the future is that I continue doing things
that will further help me live up to the values
that this award holds.
Before I finish speaking, I'd like to thank a few people.
I'd like to thank everyone in UNITE
for being a great support system for each other.
I'd also like to thank my family for pushing me
to keep going.
I'd like to thank the Fisheries and Wildlife faculty
for being so welcoming and understanding when I need help.
And once more, I'd like to thank the Office of Diversity
and Inclusion for awarding this to me.
Thank you.
(crowd cheers)
-: Glasses.
Well, hello, everybody.
I'm Judy Walker.
I'm Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty
and Academic Affairs.
Faculty Affairs provides leadership on activities,
initiatives and policies that support faculty careers,
enhance faculty productivity, recognize faculty excellence,
cultivate academic leadership,
promote an inclusive campus climate,
and advise on faculty rights and responsibilities
on the University of Nebraska Lincoln Campus.
So on behalf of Faculty Affairs
at the University of Nebraska Lincoln,
it gives me great pleasure to announce the recipient
of the, sorry, Diversity Leadership Faculty Award.
Faculty Award.
This award designed to highlight
the outstanding contribution to diversity, equity,
and inclusion by a member of the UNL faculty represents
the transformative and impactful work
by members of our innovative and dedicated community.
This year's winner of the, it's a mouthful,
Diversity Leadership Faculty Award is Dr. Chad Brassil,
Associate Professor in the School of Biological Sciences
in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Across all domains and through everyday interactions
with faculty, students and administration,
Dr. Brassil serves as a positive role model
for what an effective and empowering ally looks like
at a predominantly white institution like UNL.
As an instructor,
he's made positive impacts both with students
as well as with his fellow instructors.
For more than a decade, he's poured incredible amounts
of energy into incorporating research based,
instructional practices into his courses,
such as by creating dozens of content videos
so that students can spend time during class
on group activities.
Sorry, he pioneered the use of the CATME program at UNL,
there we go, an algorithm-based program
that supports best practices
for building inclusive student discussion groups.
As co-chair of the Colleges of Arts
and Sciences Idea Committee, Dr. Brassil helped usher
in the adoption of the human diversity
in the United States Communities course requirement
for all students in the college.
The nominator noted "Chad has been able to create a safe
and respectful place in the deep dive sessions
where faculty can openly share concerns and ideas
with others where they might otherwise feel vulnerable.
This is another recurring theme in all that Chad does.
He strives to use his leadership and influence
to create a space for other voices, especially voices
that are largely underrepresented in academia.
Chad continually uses his position
to bring conversations about DEI to the forefront
in nearly every department or committee meeting
to ensure any discourse or decision made
includes underrepresented voices or perspectives.
He's constantly working behind the scenes to find solutions
and remove barriers
to make undergraduate education more inclusive."
So please join me in congratulating Dr. Chad Brassil
as the recipient
of the Diversity Leadership Faculty Award
for the 2022 2023 academic year.
(crowd claps)
Congratulations.
I'll get you your award. -: Thanks.
You got the mouthful, hey?
-: I dunno what a mouthful is, here you go.
Congratulations.
-: Thank you, it's humbling to receive this award.
I want to thank those who nominated me and everybody
who made tonight's event possible.
When I first told my spouse that I was receiving
a diversity award from the university, she said,
"Okay, white man."
(crowd laughs)
So I wanted to address the elephant in the room
or perhaps the white elephant in the room.
I don't draw on a lived experience for the work that I do.
I'm a straight, white, cis male
whose parents completed college,
so I'm an advocate and I try to use my privilege to advance
the big ideas of diversity and inclusion,
which everybody in this room knows so well,
and perhaps my presence at the podium today can be
an example for others with privilege to do the work of DEI.
When I ask myself,
"Why do I do the the work of DEI,"
and perhaps part of it is guilt, the language of privilege
and advocates suggest an atonement,
and I'm sure that's part of my motivation.
Sometimes when the work is exhausting and I want to stop,
I remember that my colleagues
of color cannot simply step out of the characterization
that the world places upon them.
However, let me push back in a small way
on the implication of an advocate.
The word itself suggests that I'm somehow removed from DEI,
it others diversity work.
It frames diversity work is something other than me.
However, I think the most important reason
that I engaged in DEI work at the University of Nebraska
is because I want to live in a world
in which diversity is celebrated.
I want to be at a university in which inclusion is central
to our community.
I wanna see the elimination of differential graduation rates
by race, ethnicity, or first generation.
I wanna engage everyone in the vision
of the people of this room and ultimately everyone
at the university in the labor of DEI.
In that spirit,
I cannot pass up the opportunity to advertise
that starting this semester,
every instructor at UNL can click through
on a link called Course Insights.
Some of the work that I've done on the left hand menu
of Canvas, inside that link is a set of tiles,
and one of 'em is called Diversity Info.
So every instructor can click through on Diversity Info,
and in that the instructor will see the diversity
of the students in their classroom.
It'll break down the number of students
by various race ethnicities, first gen, gender.
There's a dropdown list for a number of other metrics,
state residency, rural urban, country of origin.
Some of the people in this room have helped me create that
and I know you're all gonna go tell people about it,
so that we can all do this work
by making the diversity more visible.
The goal is to help instructors see the diversity,
the students in their class,
and then to use pedagogy that supports
and embraces that diversity.
So thank you once again.
I will see you all on the path of doing the work
to make our community the kinda place
in which we all want to live.
(crowd claps)
-: That's a tough act to follow.
Hello, I'm Shelley Zaborowski,
executive director of the Nebraska Alumni Association.
The Alumni Association is a nonprofit organization
that connects or reconnects alumni with their alma mater
for the betterment of the university community.
Our family includes nearly 90 alumni chapters
and affiliate groups, and over 26,000 members of all ages,
professions, and walks of life.
On behalf of the Alumni Association
at the University of Nebraska Lincoln,
it gives me great pleasure to announce the recipient
of the first Diversity Leadership Alumni Award.
This award is designed to highlight UNL graduates
who encompass the principles of diversity, equity,
inclusion, and social justice
through their practices and principles.
This could be through a profession,
their engagement with UNL or civic engagement.
This year's diversity leadership alumni award recipient
is Jose Soto, class of 1984.
Jose has been a fierce advocate
for the advancement of diversity, equity,
and inclusion and social justice in Nebraska.
He encompasses the principles of a leader
through his profession, engagement with the College of Law
and civic engagement.
Since 1992, Jose has served as vice president for access,
equity and diversity
at Southeast Community College in Lincoln.
His involvement in higher education
has also included teaching and consulting
with other educational institutions
regarding diversity leadership,
cultural competence, and inclusion.
Jose's advocacy is also apparent
in his community involvement.
Jose was appointed to the commissioner
on the Nebraska Supreme Court's Access to Justice Commission
at its inception in 2017,
and was reappointed by the Supreme Court
for an additional term in 2019.
The commission's purpose is to promote
the Nebraska Supreme Court's goal of providing equal access
to swift, fair Justice for all Nebraskans,
regardless of income, race, ethnicity, gender, disability,
age, or language.
His nominator said "Jose is a strong voice
on the Nebraska Supreme Court's Access
to Justice Commission,
encouraging us to constantly move forward
with actions designed to make the courts more accessible
to all Nebraskans."
Additionally, Jose is an active alumnus
at the College of Law.
He has served as a member of advisory boards and has played
an integral role
in the College of Law's strategic planning initiatives.
Please join me in congratulating Jose Soto as the recipient
of the Diversity Leadership Alumni Award
for the 2223 academic year.
(crowd cheers)
(chatter drowned out by crowd cheering)
-: Thank you.
Wow, wow, wow.
I've kinda been calculating, I think we're given,
I thought it was 40 minutes.
(crowd laughs)
I read that wrong.
It is four minutes, but, you know, I'm resourceful.
I've been timing the recipients
and I've got a few extra seconds here.
(crowd chuckles)
Well, I thank you ever so much
for the thoughtful introduction.
I almost didn't recognize you were talking about me.
I mean, that Jose guy, he's something,
and I did promise a couple of folks who were streaming in
to give them a shout out,
Jose in Puerto Rico and Tony in Florida.
Shout out to my friend of 60 years Gus Davis,
who started junior high school together
and remains a very dear friend,
and he drove up from Salina
to watch me struggle through this.
(crowd chuckles)
It is quite an honor,
and, I mean, you know, I sit here
and as we acknowledge, you know,
that we are standing on the lands of our first peoples,
you know, I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge
that I stand on big shoulders
of, you know, Doctors Jake Kirkland and D. Kirkland,
even our young person here, Pete Ferguson,
Dr. Gwendolyn Combs, you know,
a lotta people who have made this work very important.
Reverend Price and Dr. Price, Bill Bryant, I mean,
we're not alone in this work.
And Professor Wilson, thank you,
and I really thank the folks who nominated me for this award
and the selection committee deeming that the work
that I'm doing for a living is worthy of recognition.
As many of you know,
too often the work of diversity
and inclusion goes unrecognized, unrewarded,
and sometimes maligned.
So thank you for this honor.
I'm similarly appreciative of the opportunities afforded me
by my alma mater, College of Law that under the leadership
of Dean Richard Mobley has given life to the rhetoric
of diversity and inclusion.
And Dean Stephanie Pearlman,
thank you so much for your advocacy and support
of what I do, because it's the right thing to do.
Secondly, and the list is only like 10,
so I'm on second here.
(crowd chuckles)
You know, a very important person in this community,
Dr. Leola Bullock said,
"If you ever get a microphone in a forum
and an audience, tell 'em what you wanna say
because this is a one-time occasion,"
so I promise to be briefer than I usually am.
I would extend a thank you to the individuals
who have supported my work in the diversity arena
at SEC and the community.
I've worked with four presidents at SEC,
and they have all encouraged my involvement with agencies,
nonprofits, professional organizations,
and educational institutions, locally,
statewide, and nationally.
And I mentioned that because without leadership from above,
without leadership from governance,
this work is next to impossible.
In these regards,
I would be remiss not to mention specifically
Dr. Jack Huck, whom I work for, for over 20 years,
and Dr. Paul Illitch, who's our current president.
Both of these individuals have supported,
and at times even tolerated my advocate's zeal in advancing
the diversity agenda.
Thirdly, I need to acknowledge
that the work of diversity continues
to be a work in progress.
I started this work at Southeast 30 years ago,
professionally, 40 plus years ago,
and we've made some progress,
but much work remains to be done.
There have been some significant challenges and setbacks
in the diversity arena over the past six or seven years.
We've heard leaders spew words of hate and take action
to undo achievements gained
through the civil rights movements for women,
people of color, and other marginalized groups.
We've suffered the loss of life
to senseless acts of gun violence rooted in hatred,
and we're witnessing a significant increase in the unrest
and violence from hate groups, hatred based on race, sex,
religion, political ideology, and the list goes on.
In these, what I call times of trouble,
I extend a thank you to everyone
that is doing this type of work.
It is not popular,
and I specifically thank the University of Nebraska,
generally, in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion
under the leadership of Dr. Marco Barker,
you and your staff have made
in what I consider a short time,
a significant and lasting impact on this institution
in this community.
Lastly, but not in closing.
(crowd chuckles)
Lastly, I want to thank my family.
They have endured and tolerated,
but they've always supported my work
and have lovingly applauded and shared in my achievements.
My wife, Peggy Olsen, my rock and anchor.
Thank you.
I think I'm supposed to say babe.
(crowd chuckles)
My daughter, Mechi Soto,
who is a product of Lincoln Public Schools
and attended this university for three years.
Her partner, Terrell Jeter, whose perspective
as a African American male has given me a, you know,
perspective and his experience makes me wiser.
My son, Keetan Soto-Olson, a UNL alum as well, my son,
Cooper Soto-Olson, alum
of the Florida Institute of Technology,
my sister Miriam Grant,
and brother-in-law and her family in California,
always supported by all these people in so many ways
over so many years.
In memorium, my thanks
to my dearly beloved sister, Marta Banham,
and my brother-in-law, Mike Banham,
who both passed away last year,
their support over decades was ever present and unwavering,
and also my thanks to my deceased father-in-law,
Bill Olson, farm boy from Iowa and Northeast Nebraska
who grew to understand and appreciate
what I do for a living.
In closing I think,
(crowd chuckles)
I'm hopeful that I continue to have a positive impact,
and that our collective efforts in the area of diversity
and inclusion will improve and sustain
an affirming and safe environment
for my grandsons in Lincoln Jemanie, Jamie and Tye,
and my granddaughter, Mila, five year old in Michigan,
it is my hope
that who they are never diminishes their opportunities,
rights, benefits, and privileges,
and these young folks are the beneficiaries
of our diversity work.
I thank you so much for your indulgence
and for the recognition.
It really is an honor and very heartfelt.
Thank you.
(crowd claps)
-: Good evening.
We're almost there, folks.
My name is Marco Barker,
and I have the pleasure of serving as Vice Chancellor
for Diversity and Inclusion
in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
And for those who may not be familiar with our office,
we facilitate and foster collective action
towards the creation of a learning,
living and working environment and culture
where inclusive excellence is understood, embraced,
and enacted through policies, practices, and engagement.
This is a tall order,
and today's recipients certainly play a role in helping UNL
to achieve this.
On behalf of our office
and the University of Nebraska Lincoln,
it gives me great pleasure to announce
the winner of the first Diversity Community Impact Award.
This award is designed to highlight a local Nebraska leader
who encompasses the principles of diversity, equity,
inclusion, and social justice through their practices,
principles, impacting and transforming
the community while advocating and advancing inclusivity.
The winner of our first Diversity Community Impact Award
is Peter Ferguson, coordinator of Culture,
Inclusion and Scholar Development
for Lincoln Public Schools.
Many know him as Pete, so I'll refer to him as Pete.
Pete is not only making an impact with students
across Lincoln Public Schools in his role,
but through his other professional
and personal involvements, he is making an impact
in the larger community, including UNL.
He builds and champions structures that develop youth,
while also investing in and affirming them from graduation,
start back over,
particularly those students who continue at UNL.
Pete's Nominator noted, and I quote "Pete's courage,
kindness, humor, power, intelligence,
and bravery to put our student voice at the forefront
despite grand obstacles and much pushback has made
a huge impact on my life and many other students
who are underrepresented and lack a place at the table.
It has been Pete's passion and dedication to maximize
the voices of students of color in order to enact change
in all areas of Lincoln Public Schools
in the greater Lincoln community."
End quote.
For over 20 years,
Pete has been able to be the lead advisor,
coordinating Lincoln's annual Reverend,
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Rally & March,
which promotes King's life and dreams
through Positive Youth Action.
Pete has facilitated workshops,
served as a keynote speaker for Trio Events,
been a panel member at UNL Symposium,
and has attended events including those hosted
by the UNL African People's Union Student Organization.
This involvement demonstrates his personal
and district support for scholars,
staff, and administration.
Pete's commitment to student success and investment
in UNL's mission has been critical in recruiting
and retaining a diverse student body at UNL.
Please join me in congratulating Pete Ferguson
as the first recipient
of the Diversity Community Impact Award
for the 2022 '23 academic year.
Pete.
(crowd cheers)
(chatter drowned out by crowd cheering)
-: Well, I think I better start off by saying Dr. Barker said
"We're almost there, folks,"
so I don't know know if that was a key sign or what
to go ahead and shorten me up,
but I got deferred
from Southeast Community College 18 minutes,
so I appreciate the honorable representative, Dr. Soto.
Just to start, you know,
being a recipient is humbling and an honor to be recognized
by other individuals and groups
who actively advance diversity, equity, and inclusion
in transformative and sustainable ways.
As a recipient, it is an affirmation,
but also an opportunity to show that same respect, value,
and love to others who are not just advocates or allies,
but as a mentor of mine are co-conspirators.
I stand here on the shoulders of others and would be remiss
if I did not acknowledge those that rest in power.
Those include my parents, Mr. Howard and Ms. Alita Ferguson.
It's the continued investment in support of my daughter,
Jayden Ferguson, who gave me some advice today
before I spoke, she said, "Honor those five Bs, be brief,
brother, be brief," and my wife Stephanie Emory,
who has been unconditional throughout countless nights,
situations, last minute ideas, challenges,
and they have been supportive not only
in the investment of me,
but for those of you who have known me,
have also been very patient.
I continue to be fueled, and again,
would be remiss if I did not mention other mentors
who throughout my personal and professional journey,
have illustrated through their action investment
and not only are doing that each and every day,
but are doing that by their presence here today.
Dr. Van Price, she's the associate superintendent
of human resources, but more affectionately known
as the Beyonce of Lincoln Public Schools.
(crowd cheers)
Now, this is gonna gimme 30 more seconds.
This is her 21st birthday today,
(crowd cheers)
and so please give her a round of applause.
That being said, she has not only been selfless,
but she has championed not only myself,
but championed others.
As you've heard earlier, Dr. Jake and Dr. Dolores Kirkland,
who were some of my family's first contacts
when we moved to Lincoln,
continue to invest and send notes when and if needed.
(crowd claps)
Also, my colleague and friend, William Bryant Esquire.
That means night and waiting,
but, again, I sincerely appreciate him
and Mr. Nate Woods who cannot be here tonight.
I stand here today because of the investment, trust
and fuel of those that I noted,
but also the scholars that have not only invested,
trusted, empowered, educated,
and engaged me more than I ever deserve,
whether it be Andrea, Desiree, Andrew, Reem, Gore, Ala,
and countless others
during my time inside and outside of Lincoln Public Schools,
I have truly been blessed to receive twice as much
as they say that I have given to them.
My advice, not just to scholars,
but to each of us in this room,
is we do not need to be more seasoned to have a voice.
By seasoned, it's also a nice way to say, being old.
My ask of each of you in this room as one of my mentors,
Keith L. Brown states,
"Each morning I'm gonna ask you
to put both feet on the ground, stand up,
start clapping as loud as you can,
and you might ask me 'Why?'
Because in this work, and let's make no bones about it,
it is work to ensure the principles of diversity, equity,
inclusion, and social justice to advance,
that may be the only standing ovation that you get all day."
To scholars, as Maya Angelou stated, and to each of us,
continue, continue to be who you are and how you are.
Continue to astonish a mean world.
Continue with your random acts of kindness.
For those of us that have, are
and will be discriminated against,
please reflect on the words of Zora Neale Hurston,
"At times, I feel discriminated against,
but it doesn't make me angry.
It merely astonishes me.
How can any deny themselves the pleasure
of my company is simply beyond me."
Now, as I do truly leave this stage,
I'm reminded of the word stated by Daniel Turner,
a scholar who graduated early
from Lincoln Southwest High School,
and he asked each of us on the stage
at the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Rally,
he said, "Each of us had a responsibility and an opportunity
in our respective roles, and that was to take our place."
Again, thank you Office of Diversity and Inclusion
for the Diversity Equity Impact Award and my nomination,
for those that you are responsible for this recognition,
please know it is truly appreciated.
(crowd claps)
-: Hi, sorry.
So, hi.
My name is Joanna Cunnings and I'm a member
of the Graduate Student Assembly.
The Graduate Student Assembly exercises
the Student Governance
of Affairs solely involving graduate students
at the university,
as well as collaborate with the ASUN Senate Officers
and Committees on issues affecting
the entirety of the university student body.
On behalf of GSA,
it gives me great pleasure to announce the winner
of the third annual Promising Graduate Leader Award.
This award designed to highlight
the outstanding contribution to diversity, equity,
and inclusion by graduate and professional student leaders
at the University of Nebraska Lincoln,
we present the transformative and impactful work initiated
by graduate and professional student leaders.
This year's winner
of the Promising Graduate Student Leader Award
is Rita Jadwani, a graduate student pursuing
a doctoral degree in merchandising from the textiles,
merchandising and fashion design department
within the College of Education and Human Sciences.
Jitu has served as a department's representative
for the Graduate Student Assembly,
has volunteered her time to the department,
professional adversary council,
and has engaged with other departmental graduate students
through different organized events.
Within her courses,
she's also collaborated with Eco Collective
where she assisted immigrant or refugee woman entrepreneurs
in creating a visual merchandising strategy
when selling products.
Jitu's nominator noted, I quote,
"It is with the same self-starter spirit
that Ritu has participated or lead DEI efforts
on the UNL campus, many international students,
incoming students, Fulbrights
and other visiting international scholars recognize Jitu
because she engaged with them
during welcoming events hosted upon the arrival on campus.
Whether at the invitation
of the International Students Scholar Office,
or in her capacity as a leader
on the graduate student assembly,
she engages on a personal level with international students
to share her experiences on UNL's campus or insights
on how they might identify resources
that will open opportunities
for their own experience on campus.
Additionally, we too,
as recently appointed to the Chancellor's Commission
for the status of people of color, an organization,
students, faculty and staff devoted to impacting the lives
of people of color on campus.
In the short time that she has served,
she has articulated several thoughtful initiatives
that could impact the lives of graduate students
on our campus.
Please join me in congratulating Jitu Jadwani
as the recipient of the promising graduate student leader
for the 2022, 2023 academic year.
(crowd cheers)
-: I promise I will keep it short.
(crowd chuckles)
Good evening.
-: Good evening. -: Good evening.
-: I would like to thank the jury for this honor.
I'm grateful to the University of Nebraska Lincoln
for appreciating and acknowledging the work done so far.
The list of people who have been
a part of this journey is long and very long.
I would start by thanking my advisor,
Professor Jennifer Jorgenson,
who's an associate professor in the Department of Textiles,
merchandising, fashion design,
and Professor Catherine Wilson,
faculty chair for the Chancellor Commission
for People of Color,
for trusting in me the work done so far and nominating me
for this prestigious award.
Thank you.
This will not have been possible
without the support of my department.
Dr. Maria de Guzman, Professor Surin Kim,
with whom I started the journey of working in diverse teams
with members from Philippines, Vietnam, Iran, United States,
and myself from India.
This is when I truly felt at home in Lincoln, Nebraska.
In my first research project upstarts,
we traveled to rural Nebraska
to embark entrepreneurship skills
to high school rural youth students.
During the second project, Crafting Culture,
I had a chance to help refugee women
who wanted to start their own business here
in Lincoln, Nebraska.
UNL gave me a platform to create a difference
in the local communities and rural communities
in the United States through these two research projects.
Thank you.
Both these related to my previous work experiences back home
in India where I work with slum children
and the municipal school kids to teach them science
and maths through arts and crafts.
I also engage with women who are physically disabled,
or who are victims of domestic violence
to train them in sewing and embroidery
so they can become independent, financially independent.
The social initiative that I created, Namaste Invysi,
has helped women to become independent and sustain
the crafts and textiles of the local regions in India.
I would like to thank my family.
My father, he's airborne right now
and I sent him the link to join the ceremony online.
I'm sure he's watching.
He's my biggest cheerleader.
My mother, my guide, my sister,
my brother, friends, mentor students,
artisans back home in India,
women with whom I have worked, my team
without who support this would not have been possible.
(speaks foreign language)
Here at UNL, I'm surrounded by classmates and friends
from Nigeria, Rwanda, Guatemala, Bangladesh, United States,
Chile, Iran, and professors from around the world
who truly want to see me succeed.
The number of countries and ethnicity that I can add
in one sentence
without taking a breath is truly overwhelming.
Dr. Barker at the Office of Diversity and Inclusion,
Dean Sherry Jones at the College of Education
and Human Sciences, Morgan Hartman
at the Office of Sustainability,
who have helped me appreciate these differences at UNL
with a smile.
At UNL, I see diversity through the lens of culture,
through the lens of gender, sustainability and mindsets.
We are all different,
which is great because we are all unique.
After all, without diversity, life would be very boring.
Thank you.
Namaste.
(crowd claps)
-: Well, good evening.
-: Good evening. -: Good evening.
-: Hi, I'm Bob Wilhelm.
I'm the Vice Chancellor for the Office of Research
and Economic Development
at the University of Nebraska Lincoln.
Our research and economic development promotes
and facilitates all of the university's research enterprise,
strategic partners, technology development,
and we work with faculty students, staff,
partners around the community, around the state,
around the world to bring impact from the research
and the creative work that all of our faculty students,
and partners, and staff are involved with.
On behalf of our university,
it gives me great pleasure to announce the winner
of the 2023 Collective Impact Award.
This award recognizes outstanding contributions
to diversity, equity, and inclusion by units
or organizations at UNL
with a special focus on transformative and impactful work
through collective organizing and capacity building.
This year's winner of the Collective Impact Award
is the Middle Eastern
and North African Student Association, M-E-N-A, MENA.
MENA was founded in 2020 by a group of three people
who wanted to create a Middle Eastern
and North African community on campus.
Its strives to create a home for all of the Middle Eastern
and North African students
to spread awareness about cultures
and to support the community inside and outside of campus.
Through MENA, UNL students can learn about others' cultures,
make new friends, and work with other organizations
to create a support system for the people that have needs.
Members of MENA have been proactive
in reaching out to underrepresented communities to ensure
that everyone has a voice
and is included in the conversation.
Examples include immigrant communities,
international students, and minority students on campus.
This is done through events such as the refugee event
that's designed to teach students about the refugee
and immigration experience,
the Feast with the Middle East,
in which students learn more about the truth and diversity
of the MENA regions and help to break down misconceptions,
and also the Annual Diversity Celebration
in which multicultural RSOs are invited to host a booth
and performance for the community and celebrate diversity
on campus, and to help our campus and community
to be more familiar with multicultural organizations.
One of MENA's nominators noted "To say MENA has created
a welcoming and supportive campus climate
through efforts such as visibility, communication,
and education is quite an understatement.
MENA is constantly striving and working to create
an inclusive safe space for all students
while redefining and expanding what it means
to be Middle Eastern and North African.
And above all, each MENA meeting and event presents
an opportunity to both learn and grow as an ally
to create this kind of change
as a small student organization is a challenge,
yet MENA does not only step up to this challenge
but exceeds it."
Please join me in congratulating MENA,
recipient of the Collective Impact Award
for the 2022 2023 academic year.
(crowd claps)
-: Good evening, everyone.
-: Good evening. -: Good evening.
-: Everyone set the bar really high,
so I'm not sure if my speech will be as funny or inspiring.
(crowd chuckles)
My name is Forka Mandy,
and I am the founder and the current president
of the Middle Eastern and North African Student Association.
I am honored to be here today to recognize
the remarkable achievement of MENA
at the University of Nebraska Lincoln
in winning the DEI Impact award.
The award recognizes the outstanding efforts of MENA
in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus.
MENA has truly demonstrated its commitment
to creating a welcoming and inclusive community
for all students at UNL.
It all started with three freshman students
who wanted to create a sense of community for Middle Eastern
and North African students
who were missing that connection on campus.
MENA was founded as an organization that seeks
to educate others about the culture of MENA region
while creating a safe space for students to connect
and share their experience.
The organization has organized events
such as the Annual Diversity Celebration,
Feast with the Middle East,
Afro Middle Eastern Excellence,
events focusing on spreading awareness about refugees
and immigrants in the Lincoln community,
and events teaching UNL students about the culture
of the Middle East.
These events promotes diversity and inclusion,
help break down stereotypes
and build bridges between cultures.
The success of MENA is tremendous
to its members hard work and dedication.
The organization could not have achieved all of that
without the sport of the rest of the, sorry, (chuckles)
executive team, especially Sarah Alshawi
and our amazing advisor, Hasan Muhad,
as well as the MENA members.
(crowd claps)
Their contribution have been instrumental
in creating a strong, vibrant and inclusive community
for all students at UNL.
In closing, I would like to command MENA
for its outstanding efforts to create a diverse
and inclusion campus environment.
MENA executive team and members have shown us
that anything is possible with dedication, passion,
and hard work.
I am confident that MENA will continue to positively impact
the lives of UNL students and beyond.
Thank you.
(crowd claps)
-: Thank you.
We are right at time.
We did really good you all.
(crowd member chuckles)
So Dr. Soto, it's okay.
You went a few minutes over, but see, you were right.
We brought that time in for you. (chuckles)
So thank you all so much for joining us
at our third annual Nebraska DEI Impact Awards.
This year, I truly made it.
It proved to be a phenomenal year.
Each year we received even more nominations and I think,
as you all could hear, we had a crop of great individuals
and organizations, and we hope next year,
it's only reflected,
but this, I think is indicative of the work
that has happened historically at Nebraska
and will continue to happen because of the younger people,
those who have more experience,
I think that we are doing great things here in Nebraska,
so thank you all again for our recipients,
give them another hand, please.
(crowd claps)
A special thank you to Dr. Bob Wilhelm, Dr. Judy Walker,
Terry Haverkost, Jacob Drake, Joanna Cunnings.
Shelley, I'm so sorry,
I always do your last name like that,
I'm sorry, Zaborowski, yeah, okay,
and our participants both in person
and of course via livestream.
We encourage you to stay engaged in the efforts
of inclusive excellence through our learning community,
Include, Nebraska Community
of Learning-Understanding Diversity through Education,
who'll be hosting its final meeting of the academic year
on April 27th.
Dish It Up, which you can join tomorrow on April 11th,
and we also encourage you to subscribe
to our monthly newsletter, Igniting Inclusive Excellence.
All of this information I just gave you can be found
by visiting our website, diversity.unl.edu.
Consider nominating a university, community or alumni leader
for our 2024 awards,
which will be opening in late fall 2023.
In addition, we ask that you please give a lookout
for a survey following tonight's events.
Finally, please contact our office at diversity.unl.edu
for ways you can support and engage in our efforts
surrounding inclusive excellence.
Before I say have a wonderful evening,
I'm going to ask all the recipients to please stand around.
We're gonna take a a few pictures of you all
with our vice chancellor right over here.
You'll be directed to do that, and for everyone else,
please feel free to mingle, to leave,
but thank you all so much and have a wonderful evening.
(crowd claps)