2021 Equity, Identity, & Success Recognition Week Winners
Congratulations to our 2021 winners!
Professor, Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship
Director, PhD Program for the College of Business
Dr. Wiggins is one of the best professors I have ever had. The reason for the claim are multiple. First, she is cognizant of cultural differences and understands international students very well. Second, she makes sure students of color are welcome and understands challenges faced by students of color. Third, she does not discriminate against people of LGBTQ community and fosters a welcoming environment. She is a very welcoming person and people can go to her for any reason. She provides an unbiased and constructive feedback. She also has a charismatic and welcoming personality with a good sense of humor. Dr. Wiggins does not judge a book by its cover and interacts with students, providing unbiased constructive feedback bringing out the best outcome.
Doctoral Candidate and Instructor,
College of Communication and Information - School of Communication Studies
Two weeks into college, I suffered a severe depressive episode. I reached out to Professor Everstijn to ask if I could get an extension on an assignment due to my mental health. She gave me a longer extension than I asked for to make sure I was doing well, and then proceeded to check in with me the following week to check on my progress. Her encouragement and help, along with her compassion and understanding, made dealing with my mental health easier and more manageable. Professor Everstijn鈥檚 encouragement was very valuable to me, especially as a freshman in a school where the teachers don鈥檛 know my story or the logistics surrounding my mental health. Knowing that I had her in my corner was a huge relief, and aided me greatly.
Adjunct Professor,
College of Architecture and Environmental Design
I'm a very atypical student within the Interior Design Program. I am one of perhaps 10 male students, and also a 31 year old Army Veteran. All Programs within the CAED are very rigorous and time consuming, and as a nontraditional student with a full time job, wife, home to maintain, and unfortunately, multiple personal losses, this semester has been incredibly difficult. Dalton has gone out of his way to adapt to my situations and work with me on solutions and has been very flexible with me. I know that I've been more difficult than the average student, but his empathy to my circumstances has lightened the stress and weight on my shoulders.
Support Services Coordinator,
Center for Sexual and Relationship Violence Support Services
Yvette was the first person I met from the Williamson house. She is the best thing that has ever happened to Kent State. During the most frightening period of my life, she made me feel safe. She went to my court hearings outside of her work hours. She spent countless hours updating me on the school investigation I was involved in. She made me realize that victims of domestic violence are not weak. She made me feel like somebody cared about me. I just want her to know that she is so loved and appreciated by all who know her, especially me.
Admissions Counselor,
Kent State Ashtabula
Valerie Gonzalez is an ideal candidate worthy of recognition for her commitment to equity, identity, and success. Ms. Gonzalez works tirelessly on the Ashtabula Campus to ensure that students of color, and other underrepresented students feel welcome at KSUA. Ms. Gonzalez goes out of her way in the community in her work with admissions. She is active in several committees focused on DEI initiatives including her work on the Strategic Planning Committee on the Ashtabula Campus. She organized a 鈥淗ate Has No Home鈥 here campaign, working with a local shop to create shirts for faculty, staff, and students to amplify the message that hate is not tolerated or welcome on our campus. She has been recruited by local school districts to assist on a DEI audit of the district, where Ms. Gonzalez is working to ensure all students feel welcome, included, honored, and empowered to achieve their best selves through engagement, action, and educational opportunities. I鈥檝e had the privilege of knowing Valerie as a student, colleague, and friend 鈥 her work is important and worthy of recognition.
Project Director,
Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences
I was a master's degree student in the Rehab Counseling program in 2018 when I sustained a traumatic brain injury. Initially, I had no idea how severe my injury was. Gradually, I discovered I was not going to be able to return to school/work for awhile. I needed help talking with insurance companies, applying for social security disability, and navigating many other services/systems that I was not capable of doing alone. Clis became my personal rehab counselor and advocate when I desperately needed assistance. She helped me express myself when I couldn't find words, she took notes so I would recall meeting events, she drove me to the social security office, she provided emotional support when I was frustrated, angry, and sad. Clis has been a treasure to the Kent State community for over 40 years and I am definitely not the first student to benefit from her kindness and compassion. Prior to the injury, working as a GA in the Ctr for Disability Services, I observed her performing these same acts of kindness and compassion for participants in research studies or students in the Rehab Counseling program needing assistance. Clis truly deserves recognition! Thank you for considering her!
Assistant Professor of Art History,
School of Art
Dr. Underwood has supported my identity and people of similar identities for as long as I have known him. He's always provided a safe space for healthy and fruitful dialogue. A lot of his courses are about race and there鈥檚 been not once that he's overstepped on the matter. It's comforting to have someone facilitate discussions in a way that I can feel safe as a queer person of color and not feel like I'm being accosted. Not only this, but I know Dr. Underwood wants to see me and other students succeed as he continues to involve us with opportunities in the art world at Kent and beyond.
Associate Professor,
Research & Instructional Services, University Libraries
Associate Professor Tammy partnered with colleagues across Student Affairs to help establish the new family friendly zone in the University Library to support the Family Friendly Study Hours program, led by CAVS. Tammy has served on a sub-committee of the group that designed that program. She advocated and designed an area on the sixth floor of the University Library that provides toys, soft seating, and games for families. She helped make sure changing tables were added to nearby bathrooms. She has been a model of inclusive leadership in helping others donate resources to this area. In doing so, she has created space that supports families for all hours that the University Library is open.
Assistant Professor.
Physics
Dr. Schmidt moved mountains to ensure that I get my position as a Research Assistant under his guidance in 2019. He also ensured that I was paid equally for the years that I was employed as a Research Assistant under him. In 2020, he negotiated with the Department of Biomedical Sciences for my PhD program. During the pandemic, he ensured that my employment status as a J1 scholar was maintained and also gave me equal research opportunities. His lab group is one of the most diverse groups - both international and gender-wise - that I ever worked in.