Office of Diversity & Inclusion Lectures & Events

The Academy for Inclusive Leadership and Growth presented awards for recipients who have been greatly involved in the development of Kennesaw State University's Academy Program.

Erik Malewski, Kennesaw State University’s chief diversity officer, presented the 2014-2015 Presidential Diversity Awards to nine individuals during a ceremony Wednesday afternoon in the Prillaman Hall Health Sciences Building. Now in its third year, the event highlighted the University’s continued growth in its diverse population and its efforts to create a campus climate of respect and inclusiveness.

Eileen O’Laughlin, assistant director of Career Services on Kennesaw State’s Marietta Campus, received the Carol J. Pope Award for Distinction in the Disability Strategies and Resources category. Her nomination was on the strength of her career service to students and in assisting each student with preparation for the world of work. Her nomination stated, “She strives to ensure that students with disabilities have the equal opportunities when it comes to access and integration into our campus culture. By working closely with both Student Disability Services and various campus departments, she has been successful with creating on-campus work opportunities for students with disabilities.”

Elizabeth Boyd, assistant professor of Management in the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship in the Michael J. Coles College of Business, received Outstanding Contribution Award in the Gender and Work Life Issues category. Her nomination noted, “She is an outstanding candidate because of the work she does with gender and the workplace as well as her research on work/life issues.”

Jessica Duvall, assistant director in the Student Development Center, received the Teresa M. Joyce Award for Excellence in the GLBTIQ Initiatives category. Her nomination stated that she epitomizes advocacy and innovation relative to GLBTIQ initiatives and programming. “Her efforts have resulted in a number of life-changing events that have lent our GLBTIQ communities a voice and a vital presence on the Kennesaw State University campus. She has been educating the Kennesaw community for a number of years on GLBTIQ issues, and her efforts have had a significant impact.”

Ernesto Silva, coordinator of Latin American and Latino Studies Program and associate professor of Spanish in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, received the R.O.H. Social Justice Award in the Racial and Ethnic Dialogue category. His nomination made note of his steadfast commitment to diversity and social justice and that his leadership of the LALS Program “is perhaps his greatest achievement at KSU. Through this critical venue, he has touched the lives of countless underrepresented students on their educational trajectories.”

Tiffany Smith, a Global South Project administrative assistant and Kennesaw State graduate student, received the R.O.H. Social Justice Award in the Racial and Ethnic Dialogue category. She was cited for her community activism.

Roderick Williams, second-year student in the Department of Architecture, received the R.O.H. Social Justice Award in the Racial and Ethnic Dialogue category. Williams is the founding president of the Kennesaw State chapter of National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS). He created the NOMAS lecture series that has brought in speakers to discuss race in the profession. “Roderick’s initiative served an important need that may not have been met in the general lecture series, one that provided our students of color with a vision of themselves and their future careers as architects.”

Robin Taylor, agricultural/forestry professional in Campus Dining and Culinary Services, receive R.C. Paul Excellence in Sustainability Award. Taylor, who became farm manager in 2009, is cited as being a tireless advocate for sustainable dining and, “from the very inception of our farm-to-campus initiative, Robin has played a central role in every aspect of building this program from the ground up.”

Dawn Ramsey, director of the Office of Faculty Support and Development on the Marietta Campus, was selected to receive the Excellence in Service and Leadership Award. She was cited for having been an influential and pivotal member of the military task force at the Marietta Campus. “Over the years, she has proven to be a woman of undeniable dedication to the veteran community and impeccable character. Her efforts of exemplary volunteerism have not gone unnoticed as she has shown to be the glue that has held the coalition of students, faculty, and staff that serve those student-veterans, together.”

Percy Ivey, retail office professional in the KSU Bookstore, was selected to receive the Excellence in Service and Leadership Award. His nomination highlighted his dedication to the student-veteran population and to the university as a whole: “His ability to manage the campus bookstore while simultaneously devoting his time to both the ROTC club as an advisor and as an active member of the Presidential Commission for Veteran Affairs.”

This year's guest speaker was Bobby Olive, the first African-American counselor hired at Kennesaw Junior College in 1971 in the Higher Education Achievement Program (HEAP). Olive shared instances of how a lack of understanding of different cultures created unnecessarily awkward situations, including one on a personal level. While working at Delta in the 1960s, Olive and other black ramp agents were called into a meeting with the airline’s CEO. The CEO was concerned blacks there were unhappy, or so he had been told. Olive assured him that they were. The CEO then asked if they were so happy why were they carrying blackjacks, small batons used for self defense. What other ramp agents — and the CEO — mistook for weapons was actually the protruding end of an Afro pick used for grooming. “He (the CEO) must have laughed for 20 minutes,” Olive said. “But what he did was he promoted an African-American to the ticket counter. Because if the guys on the ramp think you’re carrying a blackjack, what do you think they’re thinking on the ticket counter? The first African-American got promoted because the CEO saw there was a need for diversity.” Olive shared with the audience that there are always teachable moments when it comes to diversity and that they must take the time and opportunity to use them. He added that they should always ask questions, but listen first; to never stop learning and to always look for the common ground.

In honor of Kennesaw State University's 50th Anniversary, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion hosted a panel discussion entitled "The Evolution of Inclusion at Kennesaw State University." Panelists, Ms. Terri Arnold, Manager of Planning and Strategic Initiatives (Retired); Dr. Teresa Joyce, Senior Vice Provost; Dr. Nancy King, Vice President for Student Enrollment and Success Services (Retired); Dr. Jorge Perez, Professor of Information Systems and former Faculty Executive Assistant to the President; and Ms. Carol Pope, Director of Student Development and Assistant Director for Disabled Student Support Services (retired) joined Dr. Erik Malewski, Chief Diversity Officer, in a discussion about their personal experiences at Kennesaw State and the University's evolution towards an inclusive campus over the past fifty years.

Sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Presidential Diversity Awards Ceremony honored campus community members who have contributed to promoting diversity and equity initiatives at Kennesaw State University. The Presidential Commissions on Disability Strategies and Resources, Gender and Work Life Issues, GLBTIQ Initiatives, Racial and Ethnic Dialogue, Sustainability, and Veterans Affairs recognized individuals who have exemplified the mission of each commission. In the inaugural event, the following six individuals were acknowledged for their contributions: Ms. Jill Sloan, Carol J. Pope Award for Distinction (Disability Strategies and Resources), Ms. Flora Lowe-Rocket, Outstanding Contribution Award (Gender and Work Life Issues); Dr. Teresa Joyce, Award for Excellence (GLBTIQ Initiatives); Dr. Jesse Benjamin, R.O.H. Social Justice Award (Racial and Ethnic Dialogue); Dr. RC Paul, Award for Distinction (Sustainability); and Mr. Derek Ridings, Excellence in Service and Leadership Award (Veterans Affairs).

In her presentation, Dr. Nathalia Jaramillo examined nativist proposals in educational reform and explored what it means to engage in decolonial pedagogy in an era of heightened privatization of education and its relationship to neocolonial cultural forms in our schools, communities, and relationships between those who claim citizenship in the U.S., and for those whom citizenship is denied.