RIT’s Division of Diversity and Inclusion held its eighth annual Celebration of Excellence program last month. DDI presented Beacon Awards to DDI students, RIT staff, faculty, and alumni in recognition of their work to enhance diversity and inclusion both on and off the RIT campus. Keith Jenkins, DDI vice president and associate provost also presented special awards to RIT leaders and partners who are making a difference.

Join us in congratulating the following award recipients for 2024:

DDI Vice President and Associate Provost Awards: Dr. Kijana Crawford, Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, College of Liberal Arts and Professor Luvon Sheppard, School of Art, College of Art and Design

Corporate Beacon Award: Dr. Kevin M. Stein, President/CEO, TransDigm Group Inc.

Faculty Beacon Award: Dr. Lea Vacca Michel, Professor, School of Chemistry and Materials Science and Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, College of Science

Staff Beacon Award: Sally Douglas, Senior Associate Director in the Undergraduate Admissions Office, Division of Enrollment Management

Alumni Beacon Award: Arthur J. Deane, BS ’08 electrical engineering. Chief Information Security Officer at Amazon Health

Student Beacon Award: La’akea DiCarlo, School of Individual Studies focusing on narrative relationship of story and form

Student Beacon Award: Maddie Tlachac, fourth-year BS/MS program, environmental health and safety management, College of Engineering Technology

MOCHA of the Year Award: Sedrick Thomas, fourth-year, management information systems, Saunders College of Business

WOCHA of the Year Award: Nayely Gonzales, fourth-year, mechanical engineering technology, Kate Gleason College of Engineering

ALANA Collegiate Association- Phoenix Award- Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Alana Family Award- Asian Culture Society and Affiliate of the Year Award-the Black Awareness Coordinating Committee!

Article adapted from Rochester Institute of Technology May 2024 Newsletter.  Read The Original Article here