What do you get when you bring some of the West Valley’s highest-achieving high school students together for three days in July at Arizona State University’s West campus, offer up sneak previews of a psychology lecture and an English lecture, then ask them to submit a writing assignment?

You get the July 14-16 ASU Collegiate Scholars: Student Enrichment Program (ASU-CS: SEP), a no-cost university-level experience in a friendly learning community setting designed to ease students’ transition from high school to higher education.  The program is open to West Valley high school students in the Glendale, Peoria and Paradise Valley high school districts who have completed their junior year with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and are interested in attending ASU.  The deadline to register is July 10. Download Full Image

“The CS: SEP program is important because it will provide the participating students with an initial university exposure in a non-threatening, cooperative learning setting,” says José E. Nañez Sr., an ASU President’s professor, who also serves as executive director for community outreach in the ASU University Student Initiatives (USI) office.  “The goal is to give the students a taste for what they can expect in their life as a student at ASU, a high-ranking institution of higher education, because exposure to the academic part of this university will help the students feel with anticipation and pride that they have made a wise choice in choosing ASU as their academic home.”

The learning community theme is “Psychology and Music.”  Nañez, who is a professor of psychology and neuroscience in the Division of Social and Behavioral Science in ASU’s New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, will present the first day’s Psychology 101 lecture, while ASU Associate Professor of American Studies Darryl Hattenhauer will deliver the second day’s English 101 coursework.  Nanez will introduce students to the effects of music on the human brain and how different types of music are experienced by fetuses and infants.  In Hattenhauer’s English lecture, the two-time Fulbright Scholar will guide small groups of students (four-five students per group) through writing and creating a PowerPoint project about what they learned relative to the brain-music interaction in the psychology lecture, their own music preferences and why, or a relevant topic.  On the third day of the program, students will present their writing and PowerPoint project to their professors, fellow students, parents and other guests, and learning community staff members.  Each day’s activities are scheduled from 9:00 a.m. – noon

It is not the first time Nañez and Hattenhauer have collaborated on such a learning community program to help students acclimate to the transition into college.  Years ago, the West campus offered a summer learning community consisting of developmental psychology coursework taught by Nañez and writing courses taught by Hattenhauer to community college transfers as their first university upper division educational experience.

Nañez says the learning community approach works.

“It has always been the hope that by working together in a cooperative learning community educational setting, the student learning community members would bond with each other, and that this common bond would assist them to identify with each other and ASU as their academic home, subsequently improving student academic achievement and retention to graduation.

“There is qualitative evidence that the learning community approach works well.  The students make lasting friendships with their community learning members.  Group members maintain strong social ties over time.  Community students in my upper division courses have excelled academically, indicating that they successfully made the transition to university life and to high achievement in academics.”

Representatives from ASU University Student Initiatives will also be on hand each day of CS: SEP to provide information and guidance on university processes and programming.

“This is an excellent opportunity for these students to hear and learn from some of our very best university professors,” says Mark Duplissis, executive director for high school relations, and director of the Collegiate Scholars Program within ASU’s Office of the Senior Vice President for Student Initiatives.  “The program serves as an accessible bridge into the university and gives the students a look at the programs available to them, including financial aid.  This gives them access to ASU and introduces them to many of the same people they will meet and work with throughout their college career.”

In addition to the lectures and coursework, students attending the program will receive information about available financial aid, be provided a tour of the growing West campus and its apartment-style residence facility Las Casas, and be introduced to ASU representatives from the Office of the Dean of Students, the Office of the Senior Vice President for University Student Initiatives and other student life/student services programs.

“This will represent a well-rounded initial university experience,” says Nañez, who has won numerous teaching awards.  “And I believe that ASU’s investment in these students through such an event as this is a driving force in their ultimately choosing ASU as their academic home.”

The CS: SEP at the West campus is the first of a series of such educational enrichment programs Nañez and Duplissis will be developing for the university’s four campuses – Tempe, West, Poly and Downtown Phoenix.

For additional event and registration information, contact Mark Duplissis at 480-955-2621 or via email at mark.duplissis">mailto:mark.duplissis@asu.edu">mark.duplissis@asu.edu.  For information regarding the Collegiate Scholars Program and a way for on-track-to-graduate high school students to take classes at ASU’s campuses,  visit the program Web site at http://promise.asu.edu/csp.">http://promise.asu.edu/csp">http://promise.asu.edu/csp.

A new Navajo textiles exhibit at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History has taken shape under the guidance of Arizona State University Museum of Anthropology exhibit developer Judy Newland. The exhibit, which opened May 29 and runs until May 30, 2010, will feature 90 pieces from the 20th century or later.

A tapestry weaver with over 30 years’ experience and a museum anthropologist, Newland believes textiles tell stories that reflect the life and culture of the weavers, and are often mirrors of shifting traditions and landscapes. Download Full Image

This is particularly evident in Navajo weaving, one of Newland’s areas of special interest. During her graduate studies at the University of Colorado – Boulder, Newland had the opportunity to learn from several Navajo teachers and develop skills on the Navajo hip spindle and loom. In the years since, she has earned a reputation as a respected textile historian.

Considering her background, it is not surprising that Newland was recently invited by the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History to act as guest curator for an exhibit of notable Navajo textiles.

“Navajo Weaving: Diamonds, Dreams, Landscapes” is a yearlong exhibit that will unfold in three phases and feature objects from the university’s Joe Ben Wheat Southwestern Textile Collection. Steve Lekson, the Colorado museum’s anthropology curator, calls the assemblage of over 800 historically and culturally significant pieces “one of the best collections of textiles anywhere.”

“Navajo Weaving: Diamonds, Dreams, Landscapes” will be the first major exhibit from the collection in nearly 20 years. Each phase will present around 30 textiles, and many of the pieces will be on public display for the first time.

Newland was first approached about curating the exhibit in summer 2008. Museum administrators asked her to design a yearlong showcase illustrating the depth of the collection and using contemporary pieces instead of the older, cultural works that had been displayed several times.

“Textiles cannot be displayed for longer than four months at a time, or you run the risk of light damage,” Newland explains. “So, it seemed logical to have a changing exhibit that included three different rotations. This also allows more of the collection to be viewed publicly and gives visitors to Boulder the opportunity to see two different exhibits on two different days if they time their visit around the end of one rotation and the beginning of the next.”

Choosing the items for each part of the cycle was a challenge for Newland, who did not have a database of images to consult and had to work from a distance except for three visits to Colorado. “I had to literally pull the textiles and look at each one of them. I must have looked at about 100 pieces during that first trip. It was enjoyable but a lot of work, and I needed help deciding how to theme the rotations.”  

So, Newland called on a long-time friend – international printmaker and University of Colorado associate professor of art Melanie Yazzie – to help shape the exhibit. After spending countless hours together looking at the textiles and considering the weavers and their histories, they decided to divide the textiles into three themed groups for revolving display.

The first phase, in place until October 1, is “Diamonds and Beyond,” which focuses on the common diamond motif found in Navajo weavings. Yei rugs and pictorial works provided the inspirations for the second iteration, “Dreams, Schemes and Stories,” beginning October 2 and featuring narrative and image-based weavings that highlight the stories of Navajo weavers and the Diné – the Navajo people. The third and final iteration – “Landscapes,” opening February 5, 2010 – emphasizes the Southwestern landscape that has influenced every aspect of Diné life and remains an integral part of the Navajo people.

Each exhibit phase is augmented by programming, like lectures; movies featuring or created by Native Americans; and demonstrations and workshops. And complementing the entire exhibit is “Weaving Memory: Monotypes by Melanie Yazzie.” This group of prints inspired by the Joe Ben Wheat Collection and Yazzie’s Navajo weaver grandmother, Thelma Baldwin, will occupy the museum’s Second Floor Gallery until May 30, 2010.

If forced to pick a favorite piece from the exhibit, Newland would choose an all-white cashmere sash woven by contemporary artist Morris Muskett, whom she met in Peru a few years ago. She is impressed by the versatility and uniqueness of his work and has included at least one of his textiles in each of the exhibit’s rotations. Newland states, “One of the goals I had in designing this exhibit was to show the world that the Navajo people are alive and well and that a lot of amazing weaving is still going on. I think Morris Muskett demonstrates that beautifully.”

Putting textiles into context in her own life, Newland says, “I use textiles to gain an understanding of cultures worldwide and have applied this to my teaching and my own weaving.” She recently completed a vibrant piece that is an amalgam of cultural inspirations: a tapestry titled “Cultural Stratigraphy” based on the Amish quilt pattern known as Chinese Coins. Dedicated to the Navajo weavers and artists Newland calls friends, the tapestry uses black wool from Burnham’s Trading Post and multicolored threads dyed using plants gathered around the mesas of the Window Rock area. All were spun on a Navajo hip spindle. The tapestry serves as a new teaching tool for her classes.

In addition to curating museum exhibits, Newland teaches exhibit design and development in the ASU School of Human Evolution and Social Change’s museum anthropology program. This unique master’s program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences explores fundamental questions about the role of museums in society and the ways they produce knowledge. Next up for her is a six-week visit to Peru, where she will be analyzing archaeological textiles as part of a transdisciplinary project that uses the humanities and social, life and physical sciences to explore the construction of ancient Andean identity. She will also be traveling to Colorado to host the openings of Navajo Weaving’s last two stages.

For more information on “Navajo Weaving: Diamonds, Dreams, Landscapes” and linked events, visit the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History online at cumuseum.colorado.edu.

For information on the ASU Museum of Anthropology, visit asuma.asu.edu or call 480-965-6224. The museum is open by appointment throughout the summer. “Past Forms” – an exhibit of archaeological and historical ceramic pieces presented by Newland’s museum anthropology graduate students – runs through August 10.

The Holocaust Survivors Justice Network and its volunteers, including Professor David Kader, the child of two Holocaust survivors, is the recipient of the American Bar Association's 2009 Pro Bono Publico Award, the legal professional's highest recognition for pro bono work.

The HSJN is an international initiative established by Bet Tzedek Legal Services, a Los Angeles-based poverty law firm, and the law firm of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, to assist Holocaust survivors in obtaining reparation payments. In the Phoenix metro area, assistance is provided by Jewish Family & Children's Services, Kader and volunteers from the law firms of Perkins Coie Brown & Bain, P.A., Burch & Cracchiolo, P.A., Kutak Rock LLP, Fennemore Craig, P.C., Osborn Maledon, P.A., DLA Piper LLP, and Fromm Smith & Gadow, P.C., and the U-Haul International Legal Department. Download Full Image

Kader's involvement in the reparations effort flows directly through his affiliation with the Phoenix Holocaust Survivors' Association, which he helped establish about 25 years ago and served as president for nine years. The association helps local survivors on many levels, including circumnavigating the forms and hurdles of the reparation process.

Paul Schiff Berman, Dean of the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, praised Kader for his work. "The new model of public legal education we are creating at the College of Law has community outreach at its core," Berman said. "As such, I am thrilled that Professor Kader has been such an important force both nationally and regionally in this important cause."

Kader is a longtime law professor and a faculty affiliate in ASU's Center for the Study of Religion & Conflict, Center for the Study of Medieval & Renaissance Studies, and Jewish Studies Program.

"The legal profession at its best is in the business of justice -- doing justice and getting it for those who have been denied justice," he said. "It is immensely gratifying to be able to do such work for those in our midst who are in great need, and with those who are so devoted to the claim justice has on us all, individually and as a learned profession."

Kader grew up around memories of the atrocities inflicted on the Jews of Europe during the period of Nazi rule of Germany and their lasting impact on that generation. That upbringing made its mark on Kader, born to Lola and Moshe Kader in a displaced person camp in the American zone of occupied Germany after World War II.

"For me, given my family history and my own, this particular pro bono effort was particularly meaningful," he said. "I am grateful to Bet Tzedek and Ron Lowe and his associates for their marvelous work and deserving recognition."

Lowe is a partner at the Perkins Coie Brown & Bain, which was chosen to serve as the HSJN's coordinating law firm in Phoenix, after the network's founding in September 2007.

"We were fortunate enough to have David Kader assist in the implementation of the program in the metropolitan Phoenix area," Lowe said. "Without meaning to belittle the service other attorneys in the Phoenix community have afforded to the survivor community over the years, David Kader's service to the community has far surpassed others and he added an enormous amount of credibility to the Phoenix effort for the network."

The Pro Bono Publico Award will be presented on Aug. 3 at the ABA's annual meeting in Chicago.

Currently, clinics in 31 major cities in the U.S. and Canada and two cities in Australia have joined the network. Volunteers provide free legal services to survivors, nearly all in their 80s and 90s, in completing Germany's complex reparation application process. The groundbreaking project is the first-ever nationally coordinated reparations endeavor on behalf of survivors, and the largest pro bono initiative of its kind in U.S. history, according to Bet Tzedek.

The HSJN was created after the German government created a new program to compensate survivors who performed "voluntary" labor in Nazi-controlled ghettos during the WW II. Under the German Ghetto Work Payment Program, survivors are eligible to file claims for a one-time payment of about $2,800.

Since its formation, the network has successfully enlisted volunteers from more than 100 law firms and corporate legal departments, as well as 30-plus social-service agency partners. About 3,600 attorneys, paralegals and other legal professionals have donated an estimated 45,000 hours in local legal clinics where they interview survivors and complete the highly detailed claim forms. These volunteers have met with and interviewed about 5,000 survivors, filing an estimated 3,000 claims, worth approximately $8 million in potential reparation payments, according to Mitchell A. Kamin, Bet Tzedek's president and chief executive officer.

"There is no greater testament to the tireless dedication of our volunteer partners or to the courage of these survivors than for the Justice Network to receive a Pro Bono Publico Award," said Kamin. "This honor belongs entirely to them and, on behalf of Bet Tzedek, we are grateful to everyone involved in the network and deeply humbled by the recognition bestowed by the American Bar Association."

Janie Magruder, mailto:Jane.Magruder@asu.edu"> color="#0000ff">Jane.Magruder@asu.edu
(480) 727-9052
Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law

For the second summer in a row, Arizona State University’s West campus will host a three-day Summer Leadership Symposium that will provide 150 high-achieving Latino/Latina youths with an introduction to the college experience.

The dates of the symposium are June 25-27 and the event is presented by AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute, a year-round Phoenix-based college access program for Latino/a youths.  Aguila is the Spanish word for “eagle.” Download Full Image

“This event serves as entry into the year-round AGUILA program and provides a comprehensive and rigorous experience that prepares students for their college journey,” says AGUILA CEO and founder Rosemary Ybarra-Hernandez.  “It also offers the bonding experience between participants that we know is critical to their success as they move into the year-round program where they will work together in preparing for college.”

The three-day symposium is full, as 150 students will live in the apartment-style Las Casas residences at the West campus. On hand will be 20 resident assistants who are also college guides, 18 of whom are AGUILA alumni.  The students will attend a variety of sessions, including an interactive opportunity with local professionals and community leaders, who will share their educational experiences with the “Aguilitas.”  Also scheduled is a college fair featuring universities and colleges from around the country, as well as a “Major Fair” that will offer insights into the many college majors available to incoming students.  Three 30-minute mock college classes will be presented, allowing students to move from one subject to another from a list of 12 courses associated with selected college majors.

“There is nothing more important to Latinos than guaranteeing that our children stay in school and pursue higher learning,” says Ybarra-Hernandez, who unveiled the AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute in 2006 and has recruited youths representing 32 high schools in the Valley, Tucson and Coolidge for this year’s program who represent the 72 schools AGUILA serves.  “We all know a high school diploma just isn’t good enough anymore.  The symposium is designed to give students the skill sets need to move to the next level, while also creating an ongoing support network, as well as information and resources.

“Our children are hungry to learn, and Latino parents want their children to succeed.”

The students enrolled in the symposium were picked based on a combination of criteria, including academic achievement – most have a 3.0 GPA or higher – personal recommendations, and an expressed desire to pursue a higher education.

José E. Nañez, Sr., an ASU President’s Professor who is the executive director for community outreach in the office of University Student Initiatives and will participate in the symposium, says the event is also a benefit to students’ parents and families.

“University life and university education seminars are provided during the symposium for attending parents and family of the students,” says the professor of psychology and neuroscience in the Division of Social and Behavioral Science in ASU’s New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences.  “This helps the students’ parents and family to understand the university process and prepares them to better support and assist their student.

“Although these students may be academically prepared, university life can be foreign socially and culturally even to high-achieving students.  The AGUILA Institute and the upcoming symposium help students to transition from high school life to university life with all its intricacies and challenges and to excel academically.”

Ybarra-Hernandez says that although the symposium is full, volunteers are needed to assist with nearly all sessions during the three days of scheduled activities.

“We have many opportunities for volunteers to be a part of this symposium,” she says.  “It is a wonderful chance to serve the community and give something back or pay it forward.  We have heard positive responses from everyone who interacts with our students that just being around them is an incredible experience that gives you a sense of pride and hope that our future is in good hands.”

People interested in volunteer opportunities should contact the AGUILA offices at info@aguilayouth.org">info@aguilayouth.org.

ASU’s West campus is located at 4701 West Thunderbird in northwest Phoenix.

Professor Charles">http://www.law.asu.edu/Apps/Faculty/Faculty.aspx?individual_id=138">Charles Calleros recently led several students and staff from the College of Law in providing information, inspiration, and skill-building for about 50 high school students participating in the ASU Cesar Chavez Leadership Institute.

On June 8, at the downtown ASU campus, 2L Rob Gordon led a session on debate techniques, followed by a workshop by Calleros on legal method. Both programs were interactive, requiring students to develop and present persuasive arguments. Also assisting were Kristine Reich, the College's Director of Student Affairs and Public Interest, and Marisol Diaz, a 2009 law school graduate. Download Full Image

"Between the two workshops, we even taught them some Latin dance, just as a fun exercise," Calleros said.

On June 9, the CCLI students visited the College of Law for a mentoring program organized by Calleros, Reich and Lydia Montelongo, the College's Director of Career Services. A panel of members of the Phoenix chapter of the Hispanic National Bar Association National Mentoring program talked about higher education, careers in law, and the kinds of academic achievement and community service that help prepare students for college, law school and the practice of law. Panel members included ASU undergraduate students Ileana Salinas and Gladys Contreras, 2L Jamaar Williams, Diaz, and attorneys Jessica Sanchez (Class of 2006), Christina Noyes (Class of 1996), Steven Rendell (Class of 1978), and Barbara Pashowski, all of Gust Rosenfeld.

"In the HNBA mentoring program, we like to reach students at the K-12 level," Calleros explained, "so that we can help them make choices that will keep them on the path to higher education and perhaps to a career in law.

"Most of these high school students are aiming for a college education, but our workshops may provide the first occasion for them to begin to set their sights on graduate school," Calleros said. "The Cesar Chavez Leadership Institute, led by Van Ornelas and Courtney McCune, was a perfect partner in this mentoring opportunity, and we look forward to working with them again."

In an e-mail to Calleros, Contreras, the newest member of the HNBA mentoring program and the first member of her family to go to college, said she enjoyed the experience.

"The group I was with was incredibly bright and fun; they truly are a group of future leaders," she said. "Once in a smaller group, I was able to answer questions regarding overcoming stereotypes and statistics, questions I suppose I would have had in high school as well. It's funny but I saw a lot of myself in them."

Janie Magruder, mailto:Jane.Magruder@asu.edu"> color="#0000ff">Jane.Magruder@asu.edu
(480) 727-9052
Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law

She is a world traveler who has lived in England and Nigeria. While working full-time for Arizona State University, she also teaches at Glendale Community College and participates in numerous campus and community service activities. She has spent countless hours engaged in genealogical research. For her contributions to ASU and the community, Darnell Morehand-Olufade has been named a 2009 TRiO Achiever by the Western Association of Educational Opportunity Personnel (WESTOP). WESTOP’s membership includes college and university personnel from Arizona, Nevada, California, and Pacific islands.

Morehand-Olufade is a 1999 ASU graduate. As a widow with two sons, she earned her bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in ethnic studies through the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences. During her pursuit of her degree at ASU’s West campus, Morehand-Olufade received services through the campus’s TRiO program. TRiO is a federally funded student support program that serves first-generation university students, those who are income-eligible, and students with documented disabilities. Download Full Image

“TRiO was a big help to me,” Morehand-Olufade says. “I had both a professor and a staff member mentoring me and keeping me on track. TRiO offered seminars with practical information; I especially remember the time management seminar, which helped me understand how much time I should devote to studying for my classes. It also was nice to simply have someone to talk to.”

The WESTOP TRiO Achiever Award recognizes former TRiO students who have completed their bachelor’s degrees (Morehand-Olufade has since earned a master’s degree) and entered a professional field and whose activities have served their communities with a focus on the improvement of society.

Morehand-Olufade started working at the West campus in 1998, while she was still a student. In 2001 she took a position with University Testing Services, where she now is program coordinator, senior at the West campus.

“We provide testing services to many community members as well as students,” Morehand-Olufade says. She administers myriad examinations, from college exams like ACT Residual, CLEP and GMAT to the Pharmacy College Admission Test, American Board of Optometry Exams, and others.

“Darnell brings many talents to the service of students on the West campus and other members of the Westside communities through her reliable and professional test administration services,” says Morehand-Olufade’s supervisor, Janet Krause, who is ASU’s associate director of university testing services. “She exhibits a genuine spirit of service, and we are very fortunate to have her in Testing Services on the West campus.”

Morehand-Olufade still maintains ties to the TRiO program. She has mentored TRiO students and also has hired them as student workers in University Testing Services.

“Darnell is ever grateful for the support she received as a student, and she takes advantage of every opportunity to refer students to the various support services available to them on campus,” says Sharon Smith, director of the TRiO Academic Achievement Center on the West campus, and a recent recipient of ASU’s Excellence in Diversity Award. Smith nominated Morehand-Olufade for the WESTOP TRiO Achiever Award.

Morehand-Olufade teaches African American history at Glendale Community College. At ASU’s West campus she served on the Classified Staff Council, is an advisor to the Black Student Union, and is a member of the Black History Month and Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committees.

She also is involved with the Phoenix chapter of the Black Family and Genealogy Historical Society. Morehand-Olufade’s specific interest relates to Black Indians. Among other projects, she has worked to trace the genealogy of the Choctaw freedmen, who were slaves of the Choctaw nation in the Southeastern United States and then moved to Oklahoma with the tribe 33 years before emancipation.

Morehand-Olufade, who was born in New York City, brings a worldwide perspective to her work. Her late husband, a university professor of entomology, was from Nigeria. The family lived there and in England for several years, as well as in U.S. states including California and Wisconsin. She moved to the West Valley in 1989, and as she watched the Kiva Lecture Hall being built on ASU’s West campus, she told one of her sons, “One day I’ll go to school there.”

The Campus Environment Team (CET) at Arizona State University’s West campus has announced its 2009 “Excellence in Diversity” winners in the categories of faculty, staff, student and group.

Winners are College of Teacher Education and Leadership (CTEL) Associate Professor Margarita Jimenez-Silva (faculty), Student Success Center Director Flecia Thomas (classified staff/service professional), life sciences major Dorian Tsosie (student), and Teachers of the Future (group). Download Full Image

“These awards underscore the value that ASU places on cultural diversity and on the efforts of individuals and units to incorporate diversity in all areas of campus life,” says Delia Saenz, ASU provost for undergraduate education.  “The awards highlight the different ways that inclusion, as a guiding principle, can reap benefits in the workplace as well as the classroom.”

The awards were established in 1996 to recognize members of the campus community and their commitment to diversity.  The awards recognize the commitment and dedication of those who promote and maintain an atmosphere of diversity on campus and in the surrounding community.  Since 1996, 35 individuals and organizations have been recognized by the West campus CET.

“Contributions to inclusion are as important as contributions to research, academics, athletics and more,” says Saenz.  “The awards identify valuable contributions across the full range, from actions taken at the individual level to programmatic efforts undertaken at the unit level.

“It is appropriate to take the time to honor the champions of inclusion because it reinforces their efforts and sends a strong message about our institutional priorities.”

http://www.west.asu.edu/publicaffairs/posts/CETawardFaculty.pdf" target="_blank">Jimenez-Silva is well-recognized for her efforts to promote diversity at ASU.  A noted expert on methods of effective teaching in diverse classrooms, she includes issues of inclusion in her elementary education teacher preparation courses and in her research.  Kyle Messner, a CTEL senior lecturer, noted in her letter of recommendation on behalf of Jimenez-Silva, “She is active here on campus, and is also involved in the community at large.  She demonstrates a continuous commitment to cultural diversity…She sponsors and participates in multiple culturally diverse activities.  Margarita promotes cultural diversity in all aspects of campus life, from her teaching to her research and her involvement in organizations both on and off campus.  She models respectful treatment of all individuals.”

Among her many activities to promote inclusion in the community, Jimenez-Silva has regularly volunteered in preschool classrooms of English language-learners in low-income neighborhoods, and has also volunteered to teach art lessons in public classrooms, focusing on artists from diverse backgrounds.  She has participated in outside groups such as the English Language Learners Community of Practice Group and the STELL Group, a Scottsdale entity addressing ELL issues through technology.

http://www.west.asu.edu/publicaffairs/posts/CETawardStaff.pdf" target="_blank">Thomas, who came to ASU’s West campus last August, has been active in nearly all campus cultural activities and events since that time, including Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, Veterans’ Day Traditional Pow Wow and Homecoming.  She is one of three advisors to the campus Black Student Union and has helped boost the group’s fund-raising activities.

“It’s healthy for people to discuss diversity and coexistence of multiple cultures,” she says.  “If they don’t do that, then they don’t allow themselves to be challenged on ideological principles…As a person of color, my involvement and visibility are important.  I try to maintain a visible presence on campus so students have someone to connect with.”

http://www.west.asu.edu/publicaffairs/posts/CETawardStudent.pdf" target="_blank">Tsosie is a junior in ASU’s New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences who has demonstrated a deep and sincere commitment to cultural diversity through his volunteerism across ASU and in the community as well.  His list of event participation is long.  He is an active member of the Native American Events Committee and is president of the Native American Student Organization.  He serves on the Cultural Advisory Committee at the West campus and has volunteered his time to help organize annual Native American pow wows at the Tempe and West campuses.  Just last month, he helped organize and coordinate the 2009 Native American March Music and Marketplace and also volunteered 70 hours of work in one week at the World Vision Experience: AIDS exhibit, helping set up the event, take it down, and train sponsorship representatives.  Among his off-campus service are extensive volunteer hours with the Banner Thunderbird Medical center and the Paradise Education Center.

He hopes to use his degree in life sciences as a launch pad to a medical degree and subsequent work with humanitarian aid organizations.

“Dorian is committed to participating in culturally diverse activities,” notes a letter of recommendation sent on his behalf by Native American Events Committee members Dennis Eagleman and Marcia Bell.  “By willingly giving his time to various campus and community groups, he demonstrates his respect for the traditions of individuals of all cultures.  He has always been an eager and enthusiastic volunteer and is always ready to be recruited to help out at an event.”

http://www.west.asu.edu/publicaffairs/posts/CETawardTeachers.pdf" target="_blank">Teachers of the Future, winner in the group category, is a club for students who are planning for a career in teaching.  Included in the group are officers Irene Arguello, president; Tiffany Zadylak, vice president; Amber Riddle, secretary; Elizabeth Boardman, treasurer; Long Duong, community relations; and Jackie Chamberlain, club advisor.

Made up of a large group of students representing a variety of school years, ages and ethnicities, the club provides numerous educational opportunities for its members and performs community service work with agencies and organizations across the Valley.  Recently awarded a grant from the Arizona Education Association for high school outreach and recruitment, Teachers of the Future undertakes fundraising activities to purchase school supplies that are in turn donated to under-served schools in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area.  Additionally, the club recently sponsored a Christmas Angels collection, generating funds to buy presents for children in need and later donated remaining proceeds to a local women’s shelter.

The Campus Environment Team is part of the ASU Office of the Executive Vice President and University Provost.  CET works to promote civility, justice, diversity, respect for all individuals, freedom of expression and academic inquiry, and the pursuit of individual goals without interference from discriminatory harassment.  For more information on the West campus CET, email cet.west">mailto:cet.west@asu.edu">cet.west@asu.edu.

Thesis, dissertation, grants, research papers...not everyone thinks of themselves as a writer, yet every graduate student is expected to write. Without training or feedback, it's an intimidating prospect.

A pilot program is under way to boost the writing skills of graduate students in the core concerns and language of their specific discipline. The new Graduate Writers' Studios resulted from collaboration between ASU's Writing Center, the Graduate College (GC) and faculty and departments across several disciplines.

Each writers group of six to twelve graduate students in related disciplines meet six times during the semester. A graduate student, trained by the Writing Center, serves as facilitator. Students bring writing-in-progress for structured peer review and critique. The facilitator is paid a stipend and students attend for free.

Individual departments recommend both the facilitator and the students who will attend that semester, says Dr. Joan Brett, Associate Vice Provost and director of Graduate College professional development. "This began because a faculty member contacted the Graduate College about the need for writing support for graduate students, and evolved into a collaboration that none of us could accomplish on our own."

"All writers need somebody to react to their writing, says Dr. Jeanne Simpson, Director of the ASU Writing Center. "We have one-to-one tutoring available in the Writing Center, but I wanted something a little more flexible that would serve our large graduate student population. We all share the effort, and it creates a place where graduate students can form a scholarly community and interact with their peers. It's an important preparation for their professional lives."

"Writing is one of the fundamental skills for advancing one's career and we should do all we can for students in this area," agrees Dr. Winslow Burleson, an assistant professor in the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering. After ASU's writing programs confirmed that there was no formal class to meet his students' needs, Dr. Burleson championed the need for writing skills training to the Graduate College. His Computer Science & Engineering program is now one of the initial participants in the Graduate Writers' Studios.

Other participating programs include History, Religious Studies, Gender Studies, Criminology & Criminal Justice, Human & Social Dimensions of Science & Technology, WP Carey MBA, and Exercise & Wellness.

Concise and clear writing is a qualification for the executive world, says M. Paula Rey, pursuing her MBA at the W. P. Carey School of Business and facilitator of their Graduate Writers' Studio. "Insights gained through this collaborative effort are important for MBA students. Their interaction with recruiters and managers can open the door to professional opportunities."

"We tell students to write and write and write, but they need to get feedback on specific work," says Dr. Pamela Swan, the executive chair of ASU's Ph.D. Program in Physical Activity, Nutrition and Wellness (PANW). "There are generic writing rules that apply to all fields, but it's great to have a program that is discipline-specific because students need to hear and use the language of their field.

Podcasts with perspectives on writing in specific disciplines are available on the GC website at http://graduate.asu.edu/sfs/Podcasts.html">http://graduate.asu.edu/sfs/Podcasts.html">http://graduate.asu.edu/sfs/P.... More information on the Writers' Studios is available at http://studentsuccess.asu.edu/home/writing/gradstudios.">http://studentsuccess.asu.edu/home/writing/gradstudios">http://studentsu... Download Full Image