Six Receive 2014 SU President's Diversity Awards

Pictured, from left: Dr. Vaughn White, Chelsey Toback, Dr. Chrys Egan, Gloria Chibueze-Azinge, Kimberly Clark-Shaw, Dr. Karen Olmstead (accepting on behalf of Dr. Robert Joyner, who was absent) and host Humberto Aristizabal.

SALISBURY, MD---Salisbury University recently honored six members of the campus community with its 2014 President’s Diversity Awards.

They included undergraduate student Chelsey Toback, graduate student Gloria Chibueze-Azinge, professional staff member Kimberly Clark-Shaw, administrator Vaughn White, and faculty Drs. Robert Joyner and Chris Egan.

Toback is a senior nursing major from Elkridge, MD. The president of SU’s LGBTQ Alliance and an executive board member of Campus Against Violence. She “promotes an attitude of respect and understanding among her peers,” said her nominator, Rebecca Zimmerman. Through her efforts, Toback “has helped promote changes on campus with the acceptance of differences.”

Chibueze-Azinge of North Potomac, MD, is pursuing her M.S. in conflict analysis and dispute resolution at SU. A graduate assistant for student conduct in the Student Affairs Office, she works closely with students, including those of diverse backgrounds, to promote good citizenship and personal development.

Through her graduate studies, she has sought to better understand the role of culture in mediation approaches and analyze the geography of homelessness in Maryland communities, according to her nominator, Amy Hasson, SU chief of staff. She also contributed to the University’s diversity efforts as an undergraduate, serving as a peer educator for Campus Against Violence, a Women’s History Month panel discussion moderator and a Cultural Laureate Program representative.

The Seidel School’s advising services coordinator, Clark-Shaw “is an excellent communicator and change agent who is student-centered and committed to making a positive difference in the lives of all students, but most particularly with those identified as non-traditional, first generation or undecided,” according to her nominator, Dr. Cheryl Parks, dean of SU’s Samuel W. and Marilyn C. Seidel School of Education and Professional Studies.

Clark-Shaw also serves SU as a member of the Powerful Connections program, Multicultural Alliance Planning Subcommittee, Women’s History Month Committee and Increasing Diversity in Education Committee. Beyond campus, she also is a member of the University System of Maryland Women’s Forum.

White, director of SU’s Multicultural Student Services Office, has been a staunch advocate of diversity at SU since 1979. His nominator, Dr. Dane Foust, vice president of student affairs, said White’s accomplishments “are broad and varied and too many to be enumerated,” but specifically noted his leadership in developing SU’s Multicultural Festival (now in its 19th year), and success with the Powerful Connections program, as well as his engagement with students and alumni at campus events.

“Vaughn is full of insight and wisdom and has been quite a force on campus,” Foust said.

As director of SU’s Respiratory Therapy Program, Joyner oversees one of the most diverse majors on campus, according to his nominator, Dr. Karen Olmstead, dean of the Richard A. Henson School of Science and Technology. Nearly half of SU’s respiratory therapy students are from underrepresented groups, she said, adding that Joyner also led the establishment of SU’s respiratory therapy partnership with the Universities at Shady Grove. Approximately 80 percent of SU’s current cohort in that program comes from diverse backgrounds, she said.

In addition, Joyner, also associate dean of the Henson School, has contributed to SU’s diversity efforts by promoting collaboration among medical careers programs at SU and UMES.

Egan, associate professor of communication arts, “demonstrates a tireless commitment to supporting and advancing a broad range of activities leading to achieving SU’s institutional diversity goals for campuswide sexual and gender equity,” said her nominator, Dr. Dennis Leoutsakas, also of the Communication Arts Department.

As examples, he included her commitment to SU’s Women’s History Month celebration since its inception in 2003, as well as her involvement with the forthcoming Gender and Sexuality Living Learning Community. She also has presented and published extensively on gender issues.

For more information call 410-543-6030 or visit the SU website at www.salisbury.edu.