Soaring to New Heights on April 10 included the presentation of the Diversity and Principles of Community Achievement Awards, the Calvin E. Handy Leadership Award and the Disability Awareness Recognition Awards.

Read our story on the Soaring to New Heights celebration, and read about the award recipients here:

Diversity and Principles of Community Achievement Awards

Individual

• Joshua Hori, computer resource specialist, Student Disability Center — He knows “smart pens,” multisensory learning tools, speech-to-text and text-to-speech programs, and similar tools that open up new worlds for people with disabilities. He is assigned to work with students, but he also assists faculty and staff members through Disability Management Services. In his advocacy and collaborations around the UC system, and with colleagues in the California State University system and California Community Colleges, and with outside experts, he has helped to raise the visibility of accessible technology as not only a legal mandate but a diversity issue as well.

• Tammy Hoyer, senior program manager, Undergraduate Research Center — She was a participant in the roundtable discussions that resulted in the Principles of Community, adopted by the campus leadership in April 1990, and continually strives to improve educational opportunities for disadvantaged students. The awards committee cited her work the last four years in planning and implementing a transfer day for the Mathematics, Engineering and Science Program, or MESA, to showcase UC Davis as a place for MESA students to continue their studies. The committee also recognized Hoyer’s advisory and mentoring of students of color at the Undergraduate Research Center.

• David Follette, professor emeritus, School of Medicine — In presenting a special citation reserved for faculty, the committee said Follette strives to ensure that students with disabilities are welcomed into the campus community. Since his retirement from the Cardiothoracic Surgery Program in 2008, he has devoted much of his time to working on diversity issues as a member of the UC Davis Disability Issues Administrative Advisory Committee. He served as chair of the Disability Awareness Month Symposium planning committee for the last three years, and played an instrumental role in a 2009 symposium on mental health disabilities and a 2011 symposium on autism spectrum disorders in college students.

Deanna Falge Award, for ongoing contributions (five years or more) toward the furthering of UC Davis affirmative action-equal opportunity and diversity objectives.

• Mayra Llamas, program consultant, Student Recruitment and Retention Center — Described as “a role model for students and colleagues, (by) living the Principles of Community every day.” She works with more than 30 representatives from underrepresented and underserved student communities, on leadership development and event planning, all with a goal of empowering the students and their communities. “Mayra’s approach with students is always holistic in nature and she strives to assist them in succeeding,” the awards committee said. The committee also noted her participation on a work group in regard to state legislation (Assembly Bill 540), enacted in 2002, under which undocumented students in pursuit of higher education must be exempted from paying nonresident tuition, provided the students meet specific requirements.

Eleanor Fontes-Fulton Award, for career achievement in the promotion of diversity and inclusivity.

• Griselda Castro, associate vice chancellor, Student Affairs, whose portfolio includes student life, campus community and retention services — She assisted in negotiations for the retention of students who were impacted by their participation in the 1990 hunger strike over campus climate issues — a historic event that led to the establishment of the Cross Cultural Center. It opened in an old cottage off the Quad, and, in the intervening years, Castro worked diligently with students in pursuit of a new, permanent home for the center. This year that dream came true, as part of the new Student Community Center. She also played a key role in the creation of student affairs officer positions for ethnic constituencies.

Team

• Early Academic Outreach Program staff — Michele Dyke, interim director; Karlos Carter, Hong Pham, Harold Stewart-Carballo, Rogelio Villagrana and Monica Pena Villegas, regional assistant directors; and Patty Reale, financial-personnel coordinator.

Nominated “on behalf of all who have benefitted from the EAOP team’s phenomenal work,” according to the awards committee, this team carries on UC Davis’ 30-plus years of dedication to college readiness, that is, assisting Sacramento and Yolo county high school students who are from low-income families or who are the first in their families to go to college, or both.

“The EAOP staff represents an exceptional group of professionals whose work ethic clearly extends beyond the scope of their position descriptions,” the awards committee stated.

“Within the context of the UC Davis Principles of Community, this team is deserving of special recognition for the following reasons: EAOP team provides high quality direct service to the neediest members of our local community, EAOP team members pursue their work with a strong sense of social justice and EAOP team members approach their work with a high degree of respect and commitment to the university’s service mission.”

Team, honorable mention

• Special Transitional Enrichment Program — STEP is a four-week summer program for underrepresented students, to acquaint them with the university. “For 28 years the instructors in STEP have contributed to the success of affirmative action, equal opportunity and low-income students,” the awards committee stated. The program boosts retention, the result of the instructors’ “strong ability to communicate with and gain the trust of students who may have little familiarity with university expectations and culture.” Many staff members take STEP a big step further, by connecting with and meeting with the students over the course of their time at UC Davis.

• Graduate Group Complex Team, College of Biological Sciences — For arranging speakers and lab tours on very short notice for nearly 100 undergraduates from around the country who stopped here last October while en route to San Jose for the annual conference of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science. “The students who participated said that this was the highlight of their day,” the awards committee said. “This team went above and beyond their normal job responsibilities under a time crunch and created a very welcoming and successful effort that showcased biology teaching and research in a positive way."

Calvin E. Handy Leadership Award

Established in 2005 and first presented to the award’s namesake, the police chief emeritus, and now given to others who exemplify his commitment to public service and leadership.

Presented this year to the Woodland-based Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Center board of directors, represented by Lynnette Irlmeier, the center’s executive director.

Disability Awareness Recognition Awards

Individual

• Michael Colby, librarian, Shields Library — For his sustained dedication and professionalism in providing reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. He has engaged and partnered with Disability Management Services, and has been unwavering in his efforts to consult with that unit and other campus resources to ensure that he provides appropriate reasonable accommodations.

• John Hester, assistant director, facilities, Student Housing — He joined the campus only last May and quickly stepped up to partner with Disability Management Services and the campus workers compensation unit to learn the modified duty policy and to ensure his employees are provided appropriate accommodations. He has gone above and beyond in his efforts to figure out innovative solutions to accommodate an employee with permanent restrictions.

• Blanca Ponce, safety coordinator, Sodexo — Recognized for assistance to the injury prevention and disability management process, thus benefitting employees and conserving university resources. Her efforts have resulted in providing modified duty for many employees in temporary accommodations as well as providing permanent accommodations for several employees.

Team

• Student Housing — Ramona Hernandez, director, Business Services, and Desiree Schaffer, human resources supervisor, put forth an abundance of support and understanding for helping employees with disabilities return to work and stay at work, and supporting the managers and supervisors who provide reasonable accommodations.

• University Extension — Deb Irish, human resources manager, and Denise Prigge and Valerie Orick, HR analysts, cited for not only fostering accommodation for staff and faculty, but taking the extra steps to provide targeted training to supervisors and managers in the interactive process, as well as participating and maintaining case coordination meetings with Disability Management Services to make sure accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.