The organizers of a Chinese language school and professor of women’s and gender studies are among eight MU employees, studies and alumni being recognized for their work in diversity on campus.
This year was the Inclusive Excellence and Faculty Achievement Awards ceremony. Srirupa Prasad is a professor of women’s and gender studies and sociology at MU. She says her work is in an area where people don’t see change rapidly so she was surprised by the recognition.
"There are students who are hearing what I am saying and they are thinking about it. Not agreeing necessarily with what I’m saying, but they’re thinking. That makes me very excited to be very honest," Prasad said.
Many of the winners, including Prasad, said that they are thrilled that so many people are working towards inspiring diversity and inclusion.
Jiangyun Zhu, a graduate student at MU, works at Columbia Chinese Language School. She said the principal at the school is the one who really deserves this award and that this experience has taught her a lot.
"I think that this type of experience, also, taught me a lot, so, sometimes their just different but you do not need to judge," Zhu said.
Six people, including previous winners, were part of the selection committee that chose the eight honorees from 80 nominees on MU’s campus.
Click through the slideshow at the top of the story to see those who were honored. Not pictured: Mar Soria, an assistant professor of Spanish who received a Faculty Achievement Award. Soria is currently writing a book, ‘Women at Work: (Dis)Embodying the Castiza Nation in Spanish Culture (1880-1975).’