Associate Director, Center for Multicultural Academic Excellence
"Rosa embodies Dr. King’s belief in unconditional love for our beloved community, notably seen through her work with our UO Dreamer community of undocumented and mixed-status students at the University of Oregon, as well as our student families and local communities. …Rosa goes above and beyond, and is a problem solver who is seeking to eradicate a significant issue facing not just higher education but our campus community. She seeks to serve and support our talented and resilient students who are navigating insurmountable challenges because of their citizenship status... Rosa Chavez has been the light in a dark tunnel, for which our students and their families, seek support and guidance from" - Kimberly Johnson & Lesley-Anne Pittard
Barbara Marbury
Programs Coordinator, Pipeline and Community Engagement, Center for Multicultural Academic Excellence
"Barbara Marbury leads by example demonstrating the truest of heart, compassion and community through her tireless work with the Young Scholars Program, Opportunities program, CMAE, DEI, as well as leading the path on defining how outreach can be successful. Barbara has inspired many young scholars to pursue their dreams in higher education and to push through hard and often challenging situations to make these dreams a reality. She knows the struggles, barriers and feelings of her students and those she comes into contact with by her willingness to take time to listen, mentor and go the extra mile to create comfort and acceptance…It's not just the time she spends but the amount she cares and believes in spreading the word to students that there are opportunities for all and fight for what is right. She educates peers about what outreach truly means as well as is always ready to lend a listening wise ear…She is a true caring educator, mentor and leader" - Lara Fernandez
Dr. Julianne Newton
Professor of Visual Communication
"I met Julianne Newton on December 9, 2015. You remember the dates that change your life. A graduate teaching fellow, I’d come out as transgender just five days earlier. Julianne, the interim dean of School of Journalism and Communication at that time, emailed me and told me she’d like my thoughts on what could be done to make the school better for transgender students. Certainly, one does not turn down an invitation from the dean but I also was pretty sure I wouldn’t say anything of consequence. I knew the meeting was simply one of those things deans do because it’s politically wise to do them. As the meeting grew closer, however, professors and instructors that I respected assured me Julianne actually wanted to hear what I had to say. Deans, perhaps, do what is politically wise. Julianne does things because they’re the right thing to do. And she did. By the time I was done talking to Julianne on that December day I had received funding for both my research and a new media association for LGBTQ students. What I found that day, however, was more than just funding; I found an offer of support that continues to this day" - Bethany Grace Howe
Institutional Transformation Awards:
Michael Andreasen
Vice President for University Advancement
"A giant and vocal leap has been made by Mike to change the landscape of how we engage with alumni of various groups, particularly people of color, which in turn has assisted in changing the conversation on our campus. … As a leader, he has emboldened his team to recognize the issues and embrace that this is all of our challenge and that he clearly has an expectation that we view it as a responsibility in our work." - Kelly Menachemson
UO Dreamers Working Group
Members include Justine Carpenter, Dulce Castro, Rosa Chavez, Mariko Lin, Audrey Lucero, Gabriela Martinez, Ellen Hawley McWhirter, Heather Quarles, Lynn Stephen, Daniel J. Tichenor, Julie Weise, and Kristin Yarris. "The UO Dreamers Working Group exemplifies the best of Dr. King’s prophetic voice and actions. That is because they mobilized on their own to address a need that had yet to be fully articulated. Like Dr. King, their work is not only inspiring, but based on factual evidence that is focused on facilitating the beloved community on our campus and beyond." - Yvette Alex-Assensoh
