Willimantic, Conn. – The 2014 Inclusive Excellence Student Awards Ceremony was held May 2 at Eastern Connecticut State University. The event, sponsored by the Advising Center, celebrated the academic achievements of Eastern’s “ALANA” students—African-American, Latino, Asian and Native American students. A total of 143 students were recognized.
“Across the country, minority students are underrepresented on college campuses and graduate at lower rates,” said Eastern President Elsa Núñez. “Here at Eastern we are committed to reversing that trend by fostering a community of inclusion, diversity awareness and academic excellence.”
The event’s keynote speaker, Carmen Cid, a Latina from Cuba with nearly 30 years’ experience as a college professor and administrator, and a distinguished scientist in the field of ecology, spoke on the topic of “finding your inner voice.”
“You have diverse backgrounds and broad educations; you can do more than one thing,” said Cid, currently the interim president of Quinebaug Valley Community College and long-time dean of Eastern’s School of Arts and Sciences. “Finding your inner voice takes time and practice.” She also spoke of the benefits of diversity: “In ecology, the more diverse an ecosystem, the healthier it is. This is true for a college campus, too, and for society.”
Among the 143 students recognized were the Diversity Scholars Award recipients: Jonathan Correa, a sophomore biology major from Trumbull; Njeri Dodson, a freshman biology major from Bridgeport; Destiny Hartmann, a freshman accounting major from Stonington; Tyler Hernandez, a sophomore education major from Waterbury; Kayla Enwerem, a freshman from Waterbury; and Briana Tucker, a freshman social work major from Glastonbury.
Also notable were the recipients of the Inclusive Excellence Awards: James Chadic, a senior mathematics major from Norwich; Vanessa Cioe, a senior sports and leisure management major from Fall River, MA; Shaleah Richards, a senior psychology major from Hartford; and Gregory Riley, a junior biology major from West Haven.