UW System Outstanding
Women of Color In Education Awards

Cathy Pollard, UW Colleges

Pahaua (Pahoua) Yang, UW-Eau Claire

Paulette Bangura, UW-Extension

Sheila Carter, UW-Green Bay

Cecilia Manrique, UW-La Crosse

Dr. Cecilia G. Manrique is a professor who teaches in the Political Science/Public Administration and Women's Studies Departments at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She received her doctorate in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame. Her areas of specialization are Comparative Politics and International Relations especially having to do with the developing world. She has published in the fields of immigration and incorporating technology in the Political Science classroom. She is the author of The Houghton Mifflin Guide to the Internet for Political Science which is now in its second edition. Her most recent publications include a co-authored book with Dr. Gabriel Manrique of Winona State University entitled The Multicultural or Immigrant Faculty in American Higher Education published by the Mellen Press of New York and a chapter entitled "A Foreign Woman Faculty's Multiple Whammies" in the book Women Faculty of Color in the White Classroom edited by Lucila Vargas and published by Peter Lang of New York.

She has been a member of the American Political Science Association (APSA) since 1988, was past President of the Computers and Multimedia Section (now the Information Technology and Politics section) of APSA and has been Treasurer of the section since 1995. She also serves as Treasurer of the Wisconsin Political Science Association.

Dr. Manrique was named UW System Woman of Color in 1996 and YWCA Coulee Region Outstanding Woman in 1997. She has also been twice named Outstanding Advisor for the Central and Northern regions for her work with the UW-L chapter of the Golden Key International Honour Society, Outstanding Advisor several times at the campus Celebration of Involvement and is currently serving a second three year term as Secretary of Golden Key's International Leadership Council.

TOP

Nellie McKay, UW-Madison

Twyla McGhee, UW-Milwaukee

Irma Burgos, UW-Oshkosh

Carmen Ireland, UW-Parkside

Sharon Walker, UW-Platteville

Joan Kennedy, UW-River Falls

Jean-Ann Day, UW-Stevens Point

Esther Glover Fahm, UW-Stout

Esther Fahm is a committed and active professor in the Department of Food and Nutrition. Her teaching and research interest areas include childhood nutrition, geriatric nutrition and community nutrition. In these and other areas, she has record of successful grantsmanship with agencies such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); she has numerous publications in referred journals and edited books and an extensive record of professional presentations at local, regional and national levels. During her career in higher education, Esther served in academic leadership roles, including department chair and academic dean. Among her honors, Esther is recognized by a Leaders Award from the Family and Consumer Sciences profession in Wisconsin and nationally, and as an Outstanding Alumni at Purdue University. Among her most recent accomplishments are successful grant funding for a USDA Multicultural Scholars Program, which made substantial scholarships available to ethnic minority students at UW-Stout; writings in the area of nutrition for the young child; and professional presentations on the topic of childhood overweight. She is active as a Consultant/Evaluator for the Higher Education Commission of the North Central Association. She functions in various capacities in the Food and Nutrition Department, mentors students and advises graduate theses. Esther seeks to inspire creative thinking and leadership development in students.

Jennifer Wiggins, UW-Superior

Nelia Olivencia, UW-Whitewater

Dr. Nelia Olivencia is the Director of Latino Student Programs and has provided excellent support to the UW-Whitewater campus community. Dr. Olivencia has played a major role in the retention and graduation of hundreds of Latino students during the past decade. She has worked to increase the number of UW-Whitewater students gaining study-abroad experience. Her recent study-abroad initiatives include: a Travel Study Course to Italy with 31 participants, a Travel Study Course to France with 21 participants, a Travel Study Course to Peru with 15 participants, a Travel Study Course to Cuba in the Spring of 2001 with 33 participants, a Travel Study Course to Egypt in the Spring of 2000 with 31 participants, a College of Education Travel Study to Mexico in the Summer of 2000 (a national pilot travel study program with 15 undergraduate students throughout the nation), and a Travel Study Course to Morocco/Spain in the Spring of 1999 with 30 participants. She is also the campus coordinator with an exchange program with ITESM students and has sent/received 60 students since its incipience in 1997. Dr. Nelia Olivencia is the recipient of many awards including: Nomination for the UW-W Outstanding Non-Instructional Academic Staff Award, 2003-2004; UW-W Outstanding Advisor Award 2001- 2002; UW System Woman of Color Award Fall 2001; AMSLC Outstanding Contributions and Strong Leadership Award, Spring 1997; UW System Woman of Color Award, Fall 1997; UW-W Outstanding Non-Instructional Academic Staff Award, 1995- 1996; UW-W Outstanding Advisor Award, 1992- 1993. Most recently she is serving on the Executive Board, National Puerto Rican Studies Association, 2002- 2004. In 2003-2004 she served as their Treasurer. Ms. Olivencia has served on the Executive Board, National Association of Chicana/Chicano Studies, 2000-2002 and was a Chairperson, National Premio Cervantes Award for Graduate and Undergraduate Students, 2000-2002. Her most recent publication appeared in Storytelling Sociology: Narrative as Social Inquiry, edited by Berger, Ronald J. and Quinney, Richard. Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2004

TOP