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By Dateline staff

UC Davis soars with groups like the Asian Pacific American Systemwide Alliance, and the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in the Sciences. We soar with events like Black Convocation and National Coming Out Day.

And each year we present awards to those among us who do the organizing of such groups and activities — all of which serve to keep UC Davis flying high for diversity and the Principles of Community, in which “we recognize and cherish the richness contributed to our lives by our diversity.”

The awards are presented during Soaring to New Heights, an annual celebration featuring multicultural entertainment and an international buffet luncheon. This year's event, the 23rd annual, held April 9, drew a capacity crowd of 500 to Freeborn Hall.

The award recipients included Michelle Dyke and Lori Fuller, recognized for their work on the annual Black Convocation, which is designed to create an environment of support for the social and personal development of African American students, and build a community of scholars focused on academic and future success.

Dyke received an individual award, and Fuller received the Deanna Falge Award — named after a retired affirmative action compliance officer — for ongoing contributions (five years or more) toward the furthering of UC Davis affirmative action-equal opportunity and diversity objectives.

The awards committee acknowledged Dyke, director of the Early Academic Outreach Program, and Fuller, program coordinator at the Center for Student Involvement, for all the time and effort they put into coordinating Black Convocation, and for going above and beyond their job duties to ensure the event is a success.

Other individual awards went to:

• Raynell Hamilton, program coordinator, Undergraduate Research Center — Honored as a champion of diversity, for building bridges across differences — and doing so far beyond the requirements of her job. For example, as a member of the Community College STEM Transfer Day Committee and as a staff adviser to the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in the Sciences, she provides support and opportunities to underrepresented students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

As chair of the African American Faculty and Staff Association, Hamilton initiated a Women’s History Month program in which she reached out to female entrepreneurs in the Sacramento community and connected them with UC Davis women — to encourage the exchange of information on leadership and opportunities for entrepreneurship.  

• Jennifer Wade, development analyst, University Outreach and International Programs — Described as “instrumental in creating a more welcoming and connected campus community,” she is past chair and still a member of the Staff Diversity Administrative Advisory Committee. As the committee leader, she was instrumental in developing efficiencies and innovation for the New Staff Welcome and Soaring to New Heights programs.

She served as chair of the Asian Pacific American Systemwide Alliance, 2009-11, promoting career and professional development opportunities to foster the retention of Asian and Pacific Islander staff and faculty. In addition, she invited other campus groups to join in lunar new year and other alliance activities, to learn more about Asian and Pacific Islander cultures.

• Mary Ellen Rivera, recruiter, Western Human Nutrition Research Center — She received the Eleanor Fontes-Fulton Award for career achievement in promoting diversity and inclusivity, named after the retired director of the Office for Diversity, Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity.

Rivera “demonstrates commitment to diversity through public service and community involvement, advancing awareness of diversity issues beyond the expectations of her position,” the awards committee stated.

In recruiting people for nutrition studies, she reaches out to campus departments and constituency groups, the UC Davis Medical Center, and community groups to establish and build relationships and connect broadly with potential volunteers.

“Demonstrating her commitment to recruiting volunteers of diverse ethnicity, race, gender, age and sexual orientation,” she has developed an outreach program that takes in such events as Bienvenida (welcome) and the Black Fall Welcome, Black Family Day, Picnic Day and Soaring to New Heights.

In highlighting Vitamin D-related health disparities, she has connected with African American communities by networking with the UC Davis Health System’s Community Engagement Program, the Clinical and Translational Science Center, and the Center for Reducing Health Disparities.

Team award

The team award went to GLEE — Gays, Lesbians, Everyone Who Cares Employees — which addresses staff culture-climate issues in the UC Davis Health System.

The awards committee cited the team members’ commitment to the support, awareness and sensitivity of employees, students, and volunteers who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex, and their allies.

GLEE has been involved in trainings for staff, students and faculty — Safe Zone training and a Human Rights Campaign webinar — and has sponsored health system observances of National Coming Out Day, and National LGBT and Diversity Health Care Week.

Soaring appreciation

Planning committee: Adi Damaina, Kristina Do-Vu, Vickie Gomez, Seema Mani, Rachel Messer, Erin Peltzman, Mary Ellen Rivera, Rita Suriyani and Jennifer Wade

Awards chair: Jennie Konsella-Norene

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