Spring 2017 Diversity Champions Named

April 20, 2017

Eleven members of the Old Dominion University community were recently presented with President John R. Broderick Diversity Champion Awards, Jeffry Moe (center) receives the University's Champion of Diversity Award from President John R. Broderick and Renee Dunman

Eleven members of the Old Dominion University community were recently presented with President John R. Broderick Diversity Champion Awards, for the spring 2017 semester, in recognition of their commitment to advancing the University's values of diversity, inclusion and equity.

From the fall 2016 and spring 2017 recipients, the University's Champion of Diversity Award was presented to Jeffry Moe, assistant professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Services.

Moe is described as a "very humble, quiet, and respectful individual." He forged a relationship with the Counseling Department; continues to have an "aggressive research agenda in the area of LGBT issues" and has been instrumental in working on initiatives sponsored by ODU's Safe Space Committee. His efforts have resulted in the creation of practicum and internships for graduate counseling students pursuing their master's degree. Not only has Moe promoted diversity and inclusion at the University, he has done a great deal to foster it elsewhere in the Hampton Roads region. He's promoted fundraisers in order to raise proceeds for Access AIDS Care and is the president-elect for the Virginia Association of LGBT Issues in Counseling (VA-ALGBTIC).

The Diversity Champion Awards are designed to honor, celebrate and recognize individuals, from four categories who advance principles of diversity, inclusion and equity (i.e., administration and employees; faculty; students and alumni; Hampton Roads residents).

Nominations for the fall 2017 semester will be accepted beginning in August and may be submitted by anyone. Nominators should explain how the nominee demonstrates an exceptional understanding of diversity, inclusion and equity beyond the call of duty. Nominations can be submitted online to the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity, or delivered in person to 1301 Spong Hall at Old Dominion University.

For the spring 2017 semester, the President John R. Broderick Diversity Champion Award recipients are:

• Jeffry Moe, assistant professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Services;
  
• Lila Love, director of Upward Bound;
  Sarah Bouazzaoui, adjunct professor of Engineering Management, Batten College of Engineering and Technology;
• Lisa Horth, associate professor of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences;
• Nominated as a team, Sharon Judge and Silvana Watson, associate dean, Graduate Studies and Assessment and associate professor, both from Communication Disorders and Special Education, Darden College of Education;
• Andrea Stephen, manager of the Math and Science Resource Center, College of Sciences;
• Mileta Tomovic, professor in engineering technology, Batten College of Engineering and Technology;
• Elizabeth Andarge, graduate of the Diversity Institute and a member of the International Student Advisory Board;
• Sarah "SaiJai" Miller, president of ODU's LGBTQIA student organization;
• Matthew Thomas, president of Success without Limitations, leads ODU's NAACP public relations efforts and is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated; and
  
• Jayendrika Tiskumara, represented ODU in the Virginia Leadership Academy held at James Madison University.

The Diversity Champion Award has been presented at ODU since the 1990s, and ODU's President, John R. Broderick was one of its earliest recipients.

The annual award was renamed for President Broderick, starting with the 2014-15 school year. The renaming was decided upon by the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity after an overwhelming positive response from the campus community to Broderick's support of diversity, inclusion and equity.