The awards recognize individuals who have made substantial efforts to promote diversity and gender equity at Texas Tech University.
Texas Tech University is committed to supporting and celebrating its diverse community and providing higher education inclusive to all. In that effort, faculty, staff and students are honored with the President's Excellence in Diversity and Equity Awards each year for their commitment to advancing diversity and promoting equity and inclusive excellence at Texas Tech. The awards were created by the Office of the President and they are administered by the Division of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DDEI).
“Those being honored have advanced Texas Tech's commitment to providing access and opportunity for a diverse university community,” said Lawrence Schovanec, Texas Tech president. “I am grateful to these individuals for their efforts and appreciate all of those across campus who create a welcoming and supportive environment.”
Nominees can win one of two awards. The President's Excellence in Diversity & Equity Award recognizes individual contributions to academic activities, creation of inclusive environments and programs that advance institutional culture and a climate of diversity, equity and inclusion at Texas Tech. The President's Excellence in Gender Equity Award recognizes faculty and staff for their substantial contributions to activities and programs that advance the academic and professional climate of gender equity at the university.
“The outstanding individuals we recognize today are proof that the work of diversity, equity and inclusion is important and continues despite whatever setbacks we suffer in our lives and in our work,” said Carol A. Sumner, chief diversity officer and vice president of the DDEI.
“The students, staff and faculty we recognize with these awards are an exceptional group of individuals, and we are proud to recognize them for their extraordinary work in further promoting diversity, equity and inclusion on the Texas Tech campus,” said Sumner. “We would like to thank all the individuals – the nominators, nominees and selection committees – who were involved in this year's selection process.”
This year there are four recipients of the President's Excellence in Diversity & Equity Award and two recipients of the President's Excellence in Gender Equity Award.
“The advancement of gender equity is critical in our university community, said Sofia Chapman, chair for the President's Gender Equity Council. “I am thankful for the winners of the President's Excellence in Gender Equity Award and for their unwavering commitment to the goals of the President's Gender Equity Council. I would also like to thank our allies for their support in championing gender equity for our faculty, staff and students.”
The award recipients are:
President's Excellence in Diversity & Equity Award
- Undergraduate student recipient: Logan Boyd is a student in the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering earning a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering with honors and a minor in mathematics.
- Graduate student recipient: Olivia Sievers is a student in the College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources. She holds a bachelor's degree in landscape architecture, graduated magna cum laude, with a minor in civil engineering and an emphasis on hydrology engineering.
- Staff recipient: Sofia Chapman is the associate dean of student life and director of diversity at the School of Law.
- Tenured faculty recipient: Tigga Kingston is a professor in the Texas Tech College of Arts & Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences.
President's Excellence in Gender Equity Award
- Faculty recipient: Karin Ardon-Dryer is an assistant professor in the Department of Geosciences within the College of Arts & Sciences.
- Staff recipient: Jessica Spot is the director of the STEM Center for Outreach, Research & Education (STEM CORE).
