Spirit of Diversity Awards
Friday May 10, 2024 @ 5:45pm
Doors open at 5:15pm for drinks & cupcakes, program starts at 5:45pm
Anderson University Center, Chris Knutzen Hall
Join us for an opportunity to celebrate students, faculty, and staff who have contributed to the mission of The Diversity Center and greater PLU community through diversity, justice, and sustainability leadership, learning, and care.
Graduating Students
Students of Color, Queer Students, & First in Family Students
The Spirit of Diversity Awards is excited to recognize ALL graduating seniors who identify as Students of Color, Queer Students, and/or First in Family Students in a special ceremony and gifted a pin to wear on their commencement regalia. Graduating students who would like to be recognized in the SOC and/or Queer student ceremonies are asked to RSVP.
Spirit of Diversity Awards
Emerging Leader Awards
Recognizing emerging leaders in DJS community
Faculty & Staff Awards
Recognizing faculty and staff who have worked to create spaces of belonging and community at PLU through advocacy, support, and resistance in solidarity.
Alumni Award
Recognizing an Alumni who has continued to work to in their communities as a leader in diversity, justice, and sustainability.
Wild Hope in Social Justice
The Wild Hope in Social Justice Award was established in 2014. In partnership with the Wild Hope Center for Vocation, this award recognizes students who practices an understanding of vocation as the promotion of human flourishing by working in community to strive for justice and peace.
Rick Eastman Award for Excellence in Mentoring
Established in 2012 to celebrate and honor Rick Eastman, Associate Director of Student Involvement & Leadership. In Rick’s 30+ years of service, Rick, who was described by Diversity Advocates as “classically fierce” cultivated intentional mentoring relationships with students, faculty, and staff that allowed us to see that, we too, are great.
Past Recipients
2023
Wild Hope in Social Justice
Stephanie Zambrano & Sahara Jones
Faculty + Staff:
Paul Sutton
Nicola Justice
Andrew Lum
Christine Nicolai
Emerging Leaders:
Taezha Watson
Katherine Gunter
Juan Flores Del Toro
Justin Singh
Logan VanDenburg
Rick Eastman Award:
Karen McConnell
Alumni Award:
Theo Hofrenning
2022
Wild Hope in Social Justice
Monya-Dawn Wilson
Faculty + Staff:
Ardys Curtis
Silong Chhun
Karmen Taylor-Brown
Miho Takekawa
Neal Yakelis
Emerging Leaders:
Gabriel Murray
Aaliyah Figueroa
PJ Morales
Rick Eastman Award:
Lace Smith
Alumni Award:
Ashley Hill
2021
Wild Hope in Social Justice
Joey Grabowski
Faculty + Staff:
Austin Beiermann
Dr. Christian Gerzso
Dr. Ami Shah
Simone Smith
Emerging Leaders:
Adalid Martinez
Andres Pedro Miguel
Damad Poteri
Rick Eastman Award:
Jennifer Smith
Alumni Award:
Salomé Valencia-Bohné
2020
Vocation:
Dejan Perez
Faculty + Staff:
Kevin Berg
Suzanne Crawford O’Brien
June Ellis
Jen Rude
Bridget Yaden
Emerging Leaders:
Cece Chan
Richard Oeun
Rick Eastman Award:
Shannon Seidel & Amy Siegesmund
Anna Leon-Guerrero
Alumni Award:
David Le
2019
Vocation:
Nayonni Watts
Faculty + Staff:
Scott Rogers
Tamara Williams
Troy Storfjell
Luke Ruiz
Emerging Leaders:
Sarah Bang
Mary Sarpong
Bryant Bartlett
Jessica Flores Bravo
Rick Eastman Award:
Anna Leon-Guerrero
Alumni Award:
David Le
2018
Highlight:
Dancing to Janet Jackson!
Vocation:
Quenessa Long
Faculty + Staff:
Tolu Taiwo
Dawn Cuthbertson
Dr. Heidi Schutz
Dr. Shannon Seidel
Emerging Leaders:
dCenter – Cece Robinson
Kreidler Lounge – Camile Chen
Community Garden – Emery Kim
The CAVE – Brenda Ochoa
Rick Eastman Award:
Dr. Rae Linda Brown
2017
Highlight:
& I am A Lute gallery, Presentation of Chris’s Capstone Project, first lavender and SOC awards
Vocation:
Theo Hofrenning
Faculty + Staff:
Amy Stewart-Mailhoit
Deidre Hill
Mary Lou Yeomans
Dr. Claire Todd
Dr. Seth Dowland
Emerging Leaders:
Erika Query – The CAVE
Fatoumatta Conteh – Kreidler Lounge
Kennedy Gwin – dCenter
Rick Eastman Award:
Coach Steve Dickerson
2016
Highlight: Emerging Leaders in each space
Vocation:
Maya Perez
Faculty + Staff:
Lace Smith
April Nguyen
Galen Ciscell
Carmina Palerm
Emerging Leaders:
Alaa Alshaibani – Kreidler Lounge
Jenna Little – The CAVE
River Quitslund – dCenter
Rick Eastman:
Jennifer Warwick
2015
Highlight: First Alumni Recognition
Vocation:
Carly Brook
Faculty + Staff:
Michael Zbaraschuk
Kris Plaehn
Teru Toyokawa
Dr. Joanna Royce-Davis
Rick Eastman:
Jen Thomas
Alumni Recognition:
Laurie Reddy
2014
Highlight: The Wild Hope in Social Justice Award was established 2014. In partnership with the Wild Hope Center for Vocation, this award recognizes students who undertake their vocational journey in the community; who understandings that knowing self and knowing self in the community is one of the first steps in discerning not just a career, but what gives their lives purpose and meaning.
Vocation:
Princess Reese
Faculty + Staff
Dr. Giovanna Urdangarain
Steve Dickerson
Jazmyn Carroll
Dr. Ksenija Simic-Muller
Tunnel of Oppression Scenes:
Center for Community and Engagement and Service for their scene Lutes and Domes: Seeing Through The Parkland PLU Divide
Student Athlete Advisory Committee for their Scene the R-Word. Lead by Junior Amy Wooten and Junior Curtis Wildung, this scene expanded upon athletics R-word campaign and highlighted the oppressions faced by those with physical and intellectual disabilities through a crisp and professional looking visual and interactive element
Emerging Leaders:
Rick Eastman:
Joel Zylstra
2013
Faculty + Staff:
Jan Lewis
Peggy McKenna
Nicole Juliano
Students:
Blake Neace
Karina Sandoval
Tommy Flanagan
Nicole Jordan
Emerging Leaders:
Andrew Morris
Rick Eastman:
Cheryl Cristello
2012
The Rick Eastman Award for Excellence in Mentoring was established in 2012 to celebrate and honor Rick Eastman, Associate Director of Student Involvement & Leadership. In Rick’s 30+ years of service, Rick, who was described by Diversity Advocates as “classically fierce” cultivated intentional mentoring relationships with students, faculty, and staff that allowed us to see that, we too, are great.
Faculty + Staff:
Adela Ramos
Akane Yamaguchi
Eva Frey
Students:
Torhild Skillingstad
Mike Farnum
Emerging Leaders:
Rick Eastman:
Rick Eastman
2011
Teresa Ciabattari (Sociology)
Amber Baillon (Student Involvement & Leadership)
Tunnel of Oppression
Lauren Fuglevand
Nick Butler (Digital Media)
Sex + Series
Boo Dodson
Faculty + Staff
Emerging Leaders
2010
Faculty + Staff:
Jennifer Smith (Women’s Center/Women’s & Gender Studies)
David Deacon-Joyner (Music)
Stephen Woolworth (School of Education)
Students:
Dmitry Mikheyev
Xochilt Coca Pena
Caitlyn Jackson
Chelsea Putnam
Cross Cultures – Dining and Culinary Arts
2009
- Dr. Marit Trelstad, Religion
- Dr. Steven Thomson, Anthropology
- Pat Roundy, Dean for Student Academic Success, Director of Academic Advising
- Rick Eastman, Student Involvement & Leadership
- Robert Troy Moore, PLU Senior
- Katie Garrow, PLU Sophomore
2008
Faculty
Dr. Brenda Ihssen, Religion
Dr. Alicia Suarez, Sociology
Staff
Amy Fox, Wang Center
David Gerry, International Student Services
Students
Shayna Doi, Junior, Rieke Scholar, President of Hawaii Club
Kate Fontana, Senior, ASPLU Religious Relations Director
2007
Faculty + Staff:
Susan Mann (Wang Center)
Barbara Temple Thurston (English)
Jeff Smith (Dining)
Beth Kraig (History)
Students:
Shannon Murphy
Troy Andrade
Campus Ministry
2006
Faculty + Staff:
Suzanne Crawford-O’Brien (Religion)
Emily Davidson (Hispanic Studies)
Joanne Ito (Counseling Center)
Lace Smith (Student Involvement & Leadership)
Students:
Christine Claridge
Alex Montances
Social Media