Jennifer Kidd Named President’s Diversity Champion
April 23, 2015
Jennifer Kidd receives the Diversity Champion award from President John R. Broderick and Renee Dunman, Assistant Vice President for Equity & Diversity.
Jennifer Kidd, a senior lecturer of Teaching and Learning in the Darden College of Education, received the 2015 President's Award for Diversity on April 16 at the annual Diversity Champion Awards luncheon.
In her nomination letter, Darden College colleague Jody Sommerfeldt, a senior lecturer, wrote that Kidd deserved the Diversity Champion Award for deftly highlighting inequities so that "students often report their understanding is changed in a way that they did not even realize it needed to change."
Kidd, Sommerfeldt continued, initiates many projects, including grant writing to support the creation of diversity-related assignments that "celebrate differences" and increase the "cultural competence" of students preparing to teach in diverse environments. "She encourages students and other teachers to "look inward, critically examining their own biases and assumptions."
Kidd earned her master's in education from Old Dominion in 1999 and her Ph.D. in Urban Services, Education/Curriculum and Instruction, in 2006. She has been a lecturer at the University since 2007. Kidd previously taught fifth grade and kindergarten in public schools in Newport News and Chicago, and has managed an international pre-school in Budapest, Hungary.
The President's Awards for Diversity are administered by the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity. A recap of award winners this academic year:
Fall 2014
FACULTY:
Alok Verma, professor and chair of engineering technology, Batten College of Engineering and Technology.
Betsy Kennedy, senior lecturer of human movement sciences, Darden College of Education.
Jennifer Kidd, senior lecturer of teaching and learning, Darden College of Education.
Anna Jeng, associate professor of community and environmental health, College of Health Sciences.
Avi Santo, associate professor of communication and theatre arts, College of Arts & Letters.
ADMINISTRATION/STAFF:
Bobby Wilder, head football coach.
April Brecht, director of athletic academic and life skills.
STUDENTS:
Gabrielle Cunningham, Student Government Association.
Ziniya Zahedi, Office of Intercultural Relations.
Benjamin Ipson.
COMMUNITY:
J.R. Locke, Hampton Roads community leader.
Lois and Barry Einhorn, Temple Israel, Norfolk.
Lillian Brinkley, teacher/mentor.
Spring 2015
FACULTY:
Kim Bullington Sibson, program manager and advisor, Batten College of Engineering and Technology.
Abha Gupta, associate professor, teaching and learning.
Alvin Holder, associate professor, chemistry and biochemistry.
Christopher Glass, assistant professor, educational foundations and leadership.
ADMINISTRATION/STAFF:
Rachawan "Aey" Wongtrirat, assistant director, International Initiatives.
Ali Ardalan, professor and associate dean, Strome College of Business.
Vanessa Walker, finance.
Monica Taylor, educational accessibility.
Neudy Nunez, housing and residence life.
Erin Mills, career management center.
STUDENTS/ALUMNI:
Christina Kanu, director of communications and community relations, Bonfire Impact.
Kevin Muchiri, student representative to Board of Visitors.