2003 Diversity Award
Winners John Berry, Antelope Valley College
Berry is a dedicated business instructor that has
devoted his life to helping underrepresented students
achieve success. He has directly helped more than
50 students get admitted, obtain scholarships and
grants to historically black colleges and universities.
During a recent sabbatical, Berry established articulation
agreements with these schools to enhance his effectiveness
in mentoring these students. But Berry doesn’t
stop supporting his students when they leave his
classroom, using his own funds, he travels around
the United States to find out how their college
experience is going. In the classroom, berry designed
the first diversity studies courses on his campus
to teach students about issues of diversity in
business. On the campus, Berry participated in
the development of the first sexual harassment
policy; encouraged the development of the Job Placement
Center; and worked with local minority business
owners to determine their needs, help identify
suitable employers, and set up an internship program.
Karen Bishop, Porterville College
Bishop has been a tireless advocate for diverse
student populations and her efforts have contributed
to an improved environment not only at Porterville
College, but also in the entire community. Through
her development and use of collaborative learning
and mentorship, she has been able to use the structure
of the college to build connections between the
students and the community. Her students have volunteered
more than 7,000 hours for community service agencies
such as Helping Hands Coup Kitchen, Ola Raza, and
United Farm workers. Bishop’s advocacy extends
beyond the classroom. She reactivated the campus
affirmative action and staff diversity committee,
encouraged and organized cultural and gender events,
blocked or intervened in numerous illegal and unethical
hiring practices, and redesigned the training for
the Staff Diversity/Affirmative Action Committee.
Denise Dalaimo, Mt. San Jacinto College
Dalaimo has committed herself and her career to
developing an academic environment that incorporates
multiculturalism into education. She has written
several grants that led to the development of a “Diversity
Library” and played a role in the development
of an ethnic studies program to be implemented
on her campus. Dalaimo’s major contribution
to her college was the development of the “Diversity
Celebration” that began with Black History
Month, then extended through Women’s History
Month, and now is almost a semester long celebration
of diversity in the community. She has incorporated
diversity into the classroom and has served on
a hiring committee that has brought in faculty
members from underrepresented groups.
Catherine Motoyama, College of San Mateo
Motoyama has devoted both her professional and
personal life to working for the ideals and principles
supporting diversity. Her dedication can be seen
in her many accomplishments from her creation of
the STEM Mentoring Project and Asian Student Union
and ESL Club to her creative classroom curriculum
including a bilingual production of the Angel Island
Poems, which demonstrate her commitment to actively
engaging students of color/ethnicity in campus
life. Motoyama is not only engaged at the local
level in actively promoting diversity but has also
participated at the state level by serving on several
statewide committees including the Senate’s
Affirmative Action/Cultural Diversity and Chancellor’s
Office advisory committees.
History
In Spring 1998, the Plenary Body adopted a resolution (3.03 S98) to create
a diversity award to recognize faculty in California community colleges who
work to promote the success of our diverse student population. The Stanback-Stroud
Award was developed to acknowledge the work of faculty making special contributions
in the area of student success for diverse students. Each college may nominate
one faculty member to receive this prestigious honor that includes a cash
award of $500. All faculty, both inside and outside of the classroom, are
eligible for consideration. Four recipients, one from each area of the state,
will be chosen and honored at the Spring Plenary Session.
Each college academic senate
may forward one faculty nominee for the Academic
Senate for California Community Colleges Diversity
Award, sponsored by the Foundation for California
Community Colleges. The following are guidelines
to be used in making the final selection of one
nominee from each of the four Academic Senate
areas (see college directory for designation
of areas).
1. The candidate must have
contributed to the creation of a campus environment
friendly to student of diverse backgrounds and
interests.
2. The candidate must have
demonstrated success in addressing diverse learning
styles.
3. The candidate must demonstrate
assistance to students from underrepresented
groups to encourage their retention and success
in classes as they move toward their goals, whether
they be occupational, transfer, or other.
Criteria
1. Demonstrated sensitivity to diverse learning styles as shown by specific
examples
2. Demonstrated help to students to encourage retention and success in classes
3. Demonstrated help to students to reach their goals, whether they be occupational,
transfer, or other
4. Demonstrated encouragement of students in encouraging them to become part
of campus life and activities
5. Demonstrated sensitivity to create a campus climate and environment friendly
to students of diverse backgrounds and interests
Regina
Stanback-Stroud
The award was named after the past president of the Academic Senate for California
Community Colleges Regina Stanback-Stroud. In her many roles she has originated,
advanced, and implemented many programs and policies that have significantly
increased the ability of the California community colleges to serve the diverse
population of the state, including student equity and affirmative action in
faculty hiring.
