“As a scholar in the area of race and ethnic relations, Dr. Campbell understands quite well the overt and covert obstacles that may hinder the uninitiated. She uses this understanding to quell conflict and focus our attention on addressing systemic problems at the micro-, meso-, and macro-levels. Her concern for creating a welcoming environment for marginalized groups does not end at Texas A&M University.”

Sonia Hernández, Department of History

 

Alain Lawo-Sukam, Department of Hispanic Studies

 

Lucy Miller, Department of Communication

 

Terri Pantuso, Department of English

 

Isaac Sabat, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences

 

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2019 Winners

Sheela Athreya, Department of Anthropology

“I wish to emphasize just how important Dr. Athreya’s leadership role in relation to issues of climate, inclusion, and diversity is to our department and to our College. She has served as a voice and an advocate for underrepresented and disempowered people within and without academia for years, and has positively impacted the lives of more faculty, students, and staff than I can possibly count.”

 

Felipe Hinojosa, Department of History

“Dr. Hinojosa simply does everything he can on campus to help students feel included and like they belong.  He led a town hall conversation on campus climate and the importance of student movements/activism. Listening to him not only validate the efforts past and current students put into creating inclusive spaces but also encourage others do take part of those efforts, really inspired the students who attended the talk.”

 

Ashley Passmore, Department of International Studies

“It goes without saying that this sort of work has considerable costs. Dr. Passmore might well have taken some of the time that she spends working on building a Jewish Studies program to focus on her own research... I know that she has made sacrifices in order to build a community of students and scholars with an interest in Jewish Studies. This is the kind of work that is all too often overlooked or marginalized in discussions of academic performance. Anyone who knows her recognizes the seriousness with which she has taken her advocacy and program-building role.”

 

Brittany Perry, Department of Political Science 

“Apart from the institutional support, Dr. Perry also takes the time to extend emotional support. She does not teach graduate courses but is always available to talk and listen to us. She had made a big impact to me, a woman and a foreigner from the Global South, because she strongly believes that an inclusive environment is essential to our success in the discipline. Dr. Perry has and is helping me navigate through my graduate school experiences and has made me feel welcome and empowered even when I am thousands of miles away from my home.”

 

Nancy Plankey-Videla, Department of Sociology 

“Dr. Plankey-Videla is ever vigilant in her efforts to help students feel welcome. One of the challenges to feeling welcomed for many first-generation students from underrepresented groups is the high cost of college. Recognizing this challenge to a sense of belonging, Dr. Plankey-Videla has worked to use open access materials online so that all of her students can have access to reading materials. Her efforts help to eradicate the sense of disconnection from the university and classes that many students with financial challenges might feel.”

 

Kristan Poirot, Department of Communication and Interdisciplinary Critical Studies

“It only takes a short time with Dr. Poirot to understand her commitment to diversity and inclusion.  She is always ready to help explain to those interested in knowing more, and even try to correct mistakes of those around her.  She is not just an academic who theories about improving diversity and inclusion but she takes an active role.  Even more, she supports and pushes others to take a more active role in their own passions of inclusion.”

 

Srividya Ramasubramanian, Department of Communication 

“Dr. Ramasubramanian offers an unwavering, consistent, reliable presence on this campus, advocating on behalf of some of the most marginalized, historically-disempowered, and underrepresented populations. She makes Texas A&M a better place, a more inclusive space, and a more welcoming community for so many of us who might struggle to recognize this place as home without her influence.”

 

Jyotsna Vaid, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences 

“Through her informal mentoring of female faculty and graduate students, her formal administrative work, and her own research on women in academia, Dr. Vaid has consistently shown her commitment to facilitating a more inclusive and welcoming climate for all, particularly women and women of color.”