Penn State Scranton seeks nominees for Excellence in Diversity Award

group of students of various cultural backgrounds

The campus is currently seeking nominations for its Excellence in Diversity Award, which will be presented at the sixth annual MLK Day Celebration honoring the life and work of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. The virtual ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18, on Zoom. This year’s theme is “Love and Truth.”

Credit: Penn State
December 7, 2020
By Josh McAuliffe

DUNMORE, Pa. – Penn State Scranton will once again recognize campus and community members who are genuinely committed to making the world a more diverse and inclusive place.

The campus is currently seeking nominations for its Excellence in Diversity Award, which will be presented at the campus' sixth annual MLK Day Celebration honoring the life and work of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. The virtual ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18, on Zoom. This year’s theme is “Love and Truth.”

The event is open to the public, and those interested in attending can register at: https://scranton.psu.edu/mlk.

Each year, two Excellence in Diversity awards are given at the ceremony: one to a member of the campus community, and another to a local community member or organization who shows a commitment to diversity.

“It is important to empower and recognize people who are taking steps to create an inclusive environment for their community,” said Dharti Ray, campus coordinator of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Online nominations for the award must be submitted to the office of Chancellor Marwan Wafa by Friday, Dec. 18, at: https://scranton.psu.edu/form/excellence-diversity-nomination-form. Nominees can be individuals, organizations, groups or units. Self-nominations are welcome.

To be eligible for the award, nominees must meet one of the following criteria:

  • Engage in meaningful diversity activities beyond one's responsibility in order to encourage excellence through inclusion in the Penn State Scranton community;
  • Demonstrate efforts that foster a more inclusive and equitable learning and work environment;
  • Show evidence of inclusive teaching and/or program development beyond responsibilities;
  • Conduct research and/or creative activity related to the experiences, realities and/or contributions of people from underrepresented populations; or
  • Demonstrate leadership in programming, training or other experiences which serve to advance diversity and inclusion at the campus or in the surrounding community.

Nominations must include a detailed description of the nominee’s diversity efforts, as well as their impact.

A five-member committee will review nominations and submit recommendations to Wafa. The award recipients will be announced at MLK Day, where they will receive a commemorative gift and have the opportunity to share their experiences with the audience.

The Excellence in Diversity Award was created in 2015 by the campus Diversity Advisory Council to recognize and honor demonstrated commitment and outstanding efforts toward creating a more diverse and inclusive community. Each year, the award is given to an individual or group from both the campus and the local community.

For more information on the Excellence in Diversity Award, contact Dharti Ray at 570-963-2685 or [email protected].