UW System Outstanding
Women of Color In Education Awards

Deanna S. Dennis, UW-Eau Claire

Deanna Dennis is a student in the pre-law program and vice president of the UW-Eau Claire Pre-Law Organization. She is currently a volunteer at Eau Claire's Bolton House, a shelter for victims of domestic abuse, and has counseled and supported women of all ethnic backgrounds who have sought refuge there. As an UW-EC Ambassador, Ms. Dennis has assisted women of color in the admissions process and in their acclimation to the university community. She has served as a surrogate sister and advocate to young women of color during the transitional years from high school to university life. In the upcoming year, Ms. Dennis will be coaching a young woman's soccer team. Her actions demonstrate a commitment to advancing the presence of women, and specifically women of color, within majority culture.

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Denise Sweet, UW-Green Bay

Denise Sweet is an Anishinaabe (White Earth) poet and a tenured professor of Humanistic Studies. She was awarded the first of UW-Green Bay's Women of Color Awards in 1995. Denise coordinated a symposium entitled "Those Who Will Listen and Remember: A Symposium of Anishinaabe History, Culture and Contemporary Issues". Her efforts brought together international speakers and attendees to share information about scholarly endeavors as well as language and cultural preservation projects in a first of its kind gathering. Professor Sweet finds time to work with new generation writers and put together a young writers workshop that has broadened the university's community outreach to rapidly increasing African American, Latino and Southeast Asian populations. Most recently Professor Sweet was appointed Wisconsin Poet Laureate by Governor Doyle for the next four years.

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Leticia Peña, UW-La Crosse

Dr. Pena has sought to imbue her teaching, research and community involvement with a valuing of diversity. That theme has resonated throughout her life. Dr. Pena has been actively involved in the Latin American Business Studies program with several professors from the College of Business Administration. In July 1995, professors and administrators from three universities in Mexico and in Brazil convened at UW-L and agreed to form a consortium of universities entitled the United States Latin American Consortium as a long-term objective. To date, UW-La Crosse and the three partner institutions from Mexico have completed numerous joint activities that Professor Pena has helped organize.

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Amy Ling, UW-Madison

(Deceased) Catherine Ling Hinds accepted her mother's award in her memory. Amy Ling was a professor of Asian American Studies and one of the premier scholars within the field. Professor Ling was a path-breaking founder within Asian American Studies and is nationally recognized for her dedicated work as a scholar, editor and lecturer. In 1991 she was hired as Director of the Asian American Studies Program - the first of its kind in the Midwest. Professor Ling expended enormous amounts of time and imagination to giving the program a presence on campus. She worked tirelessly toward the development of international and intercultural peace and conflict resolution. Her contributions will be remembered by members of the university, the community, and the field of Asian American Studies.

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April L. Holland, UW-Milwaukee

April Holland is the Director of the Pre-College Academy and is responsible for developing and implementing a variety of programs designed to prepare middle and high school students for college. She is currently pursuing her doctoral work in the Urban Education/Counseling Psychology program. Her current interest in counseling research focuses on multicultural counseling, successful academic interventions with African-American adolescents, and marriage/family counseling. She was instrumental in the creation and development of educational staff training and the Mentoring program for 12 to 17 year old young women. Through her works and words, Ms. Holland moves through life loving, inspiring, helping, encouraging others and making a difference in their lives.

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Judith Hankes, UW-Oshkosh

Judith Hankes is a member of the teaching faculty within the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Dr. Hankes is nationally known for her work with culturally responsive mathematics instruction. Dr. Hankes' dissertation, Native American Pedagogy and Cognitive-Based Instruction was published by Garland Presss in 1998. She is also the co-editor of two books, Changing Faces of Mathematics: Perspectives of Indigenous Peoples of the Americas and Using Native American Legends to Teach mathematics. Dr. Hankes is the co-founder and director of the UW Oshkosh Intertribal Pre-College Program. This highly successful culture-specific pre-college program has brought over 200 Native students to the UW Oshkosh campus since 1998. Currently, Dr Hankes is collaborating with the Mid-continent Research in Education and Learning Center (McCREL) on a study investigating the impact of leading mathematics curriculum programs on the math achievement of Native students. Dr. Hankes has devoted her teaching, research and service to promoting quality elementary level mathematics instruction for all students but for Native American students in particular.

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* Mary Lou Mahone,
UW-Parkside

Timothy Mahone accepted the award for his mother in her memory. Mary Lou Mahone believed in reaching out and helping people to help themselves despite race, gender, social, political or economic status. She was committed to providing equal access for all people to achieve good qualities of life. Ms. Mahone was affiliated with the following organizations: Kenosha/Racine Urban League, Racine/Kenosha Community Action Agency, the NAACP, Women's Horizons, Second Baptist Church and its Woman's Ministry, Kenosha Community Health Center, Boys and Girls Club, Kenosha Housing Authority and the Mayor's Commission on Human Rights. She worked with the Lincoln Neighborhood Community Center for 12 years before retiring in 1998 at the age of 72. Her goal at the Center was to help children and families of the Lincoln Neighborhood meet and exceed their full potential. She also interacted with UW-Parkside's Center for Community Partnerships.

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Bridgette Monique Johnson,
UW-Parkside

Bridgette Johnson is a graduate of UW-Parkside's Communications Department. She is currently the Director of the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and Interim Asst to the Chancellor for Equity and Diversity (OED). As the Director of OMSA, Ms. Johnson's primary responsibility is overseeing the retention of students of color through cultural and academic related retention programming. In the Office of Equity and Diversity, her primary responsibilities include providing leadership in developing and implementing relevant policies and procedures, as well as monitoring institutional compliance with state and federal affirmative action laws and equal employment opportunity policies and procedures.

Ms. Johnson is an elected school board member, Executive Board member of Leadership Racine, Girl Scouts of Racine Troop Leader and a member of the YWCA of Racine Board of Directors. Most recently, she was awarded Racine's YWCA Women of Distinction Award in the area of Public Service and also the recipient of the NAACP's Theodore Harris Humanitarian Award. Ms. Johnson's primary mission is to increase the minority freshman class population. She is involved with various committee work including the Pre-college Advisory Board, Academic Staff Committee, the new faculty and staff orientation campus culture panel, the YWCA Board of Directors, and the Plan 2008 committee. Ms. Johnson is also a member of the NAACP Education Committee and gives college workshops and motivational speeches to community and church organizations.

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Pusaporn Tabrizi, UW-Platteville

Pusaporn Tabrizi serves as an advisor to students of color in UW-Platteville's Office of Multi-Cultural Educational Resource Center (MERC). She coordinates the MERC peer mentor program that assigns an upper level student mentor to each new freshman or transfer. Ms. Tabrizi has become the multicultural specialist in assisting female students of color with issues of relationships, date, domestic violence, and other family conflict. She assisted with the first meeting of students of color leaders and the Platteville Police Department and University Police. With her Platteville women of color network, she has encouraged UWP female students of color to meet with other women of color in Platteville who have families and careers. She believes in providing opportunities for women to move into leadership in their field and at the same time being able to balance the role of full-time job while being a wife and a mother. As an immigrant from Thailand, married to an immigrant from Iran, as well as her vast travel experiences and exposure to many different cultures, she has helped students of color understand women's issues on a global perspective.

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Jacquelynne S. Whitner,
UW-River Falls

Jackye Whitner is a learner who returned to college after a hiatus of twenty-five years after leaving both Jackson State University and the University of Minnesota. Jackye enrolled at the UW - River Falls in 1998 and graduated in May of 1999 with a major in English and a minor in Ethnic Studies. She enrolled at UWRF in the Graduate School of Psychology and Counseling while a senior and graduated in 2002 with a Masters of Science in Education. Jackye worked full time while attending school as an educational assistant at the Ronald M. Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning, a St Paul Public School Adult Basic Education Program. Her responsibilities included team leader and database coordinator and providing assessments to more than 6,000 adult learners annually. Immediately after graduation in 2002 she was promoted to Supervisor of Intake and Learner Accountability, an Administrative position She supervises a staff of 15 employees.

She participated in the civil rights movement in Mississippi from 1963 and 1964. She participated in the March on Washington, the March from Selma to Montgomery, the Million Women March in Philadelphia and voter registration drives in the South 1962, and helped hundreds of people to vote for the first time.

Jackye has received many awards for her contributions to society, in 1997 the "Acts of Courage" award presented by the Minneapolis Public Library in recognition of an individual who has ventured outside the boundaries of her job to give service. 1997 she received the Director's Award from the Minneapolis Public Library in recognition of her work to develop an outstanding program for alternative dispute resolution in the workplace. 1999 the Woman of Color Award from UW-River Falls for Outstanding achievement and for contributions to increase racial and cultural diversity in the University curriculum. 1999 Learner-Contributor Award from MACAE. Honored for her commitment to learning, for her application of her knowledge at the workplace, and for her promotion of diversity awareness in all areas of life.

Jackye is also a poet and writer. She received first place and a scholarship from the American Multicultural Student Leadership Conference 1998 at UW-LaCrosse for her essay entitled, "Diversity: A Lifelong Commitment." 1999, second place for poetry entitled "what would our ancestors think if they saw us today?", and in 2001, second place at UW-Whitewater for Research-Race/Ethnic ($3,500 scholarship). She has published essays in Prologue 99, a campus publication to showcase the artistic and literary abilities of students at UW-River Falls. She has poetry published in United Colors, a newsletter publication of the Academic Success Center, UW-RF. January 26, 2000 She was guest speaker at UW-Platteville for the Martin Luther King Celebration and has presented a dramatic narrative of an Underground Railroad journey of Harriet Tubman at the United Council's 4th Annual Women's Leadership Conference at UW-La Crosse.

Jackye is married and has 4 adult children, 5 grandchildren and a new grandchild expected later this year. She likes jazz, traveling, camping, fishing and reading.
 

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Jyotsna Chander,
UW-Stevens Point

Jyotsna Chander has taught in the Mathematics and Computer Science Department since 1968. She has demonstrated a high level of commitment to the professional and personal development of women and students of color. Ms. Chander is very dedicated to the "Women in Science" program. She helped form the organization at UW-SP and has served tow separate terms as faculty advisor to the group. She also served as a member of the advisory board of UW System's "Women in Science" program and assisted with the 1996 conference. Ms. Chander helped found and has served as the faculty advisor to the South Asian Society. She received the University Mentor Award for her work with the group in 1998. Over the years, Ms. Chander has organized hundreds of diversity programs ranging from Indian philosophy to traditional dance to retention programs for students of color. She has been the driving force behind 10 "Festivals of India" celebrations held in the community since 1988. Funds raised from this event sponsor economically disadvantaged women to attend college at the P.N. Doshi Women's College in Bombay, India. Last year alone, they were able to provide 250 women with financial aid.

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Tracy Benson, UW-Stout

Tracy Benson is a student who has worked tirelessly for change. In the spring of 1997, she was one of the founding organizers and prime movers in the Students of Color Coalition. The coalition uses logic, persuasion, carefully researched information, and nonviolent demonstrations to affect change in student government. The following year, Ms. Benson was appointed Director of Diversity for the Stout Student Association and selected "Diversity Director of the Year for the State of Wisconsin." This past spring, she worked with other UW System students to draw up a call for a Students of Color Leadership Symposium designed to foster leadership and encourage participation in student government.

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Karen Weiss, UW-Superior

Karen Weiss is a senior, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Women's Studies. Ms. Weiss is very active on campus. She is known for her strong communications skills and her ability to build alliances with others. She has been the recipient of many awards and has helped organize events on campus, including the American Multicultural Student Leadership Conference (AMSLC). Ms. Weiss is a past volunteer and advocate at the Center for Sexual and Domestic Abuse in Superior and is the co-coordinator of the Women's Resource Center on campus.

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Graciela Colin-Dealca,
UW-Whitewater

Graciela Colin-Dealca is the Assistant Director of Student Retention Services. She provides students with extensive support that enable them to play meaningful roles in their professions and society. Ms Dealca has also served as a marriage and family therapist.

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Rejoice Sithole, UW Colleges

Rejoice Sithole is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha, where she serves as a role model for female students of color. Dr. Sithole uses a cross-cultural perspective in teaching such courses as "American Minority Groups" and "Marriage and the Family". Although some of her research has been focused on women in South Africa, she has also studied Black families in the United States, and has engaged in comparative work on Native American and Black South African culture.

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Dina Knibbs, UW Extension

Dina Knibbs is a nutrition educator who works with low-income families, teaching them how to manage their food budget and provide low cost, high nutrition meals. Ms. Knibbs is a role model of self-sufficiency for women, especially Mexican and Mexican-American women. She was instrumental in developing and implementing a parenting course and a self-esteem seminar for Spanish-speaking families. These programs were effective because of Ms. Knibbs observation of Spanish language women and their needs. She is an English tutor to Spanish speaking adults at Stateline Literacy Council, a translator and interpreter for birth mothers at Beloit Memorial Hospital, and a translator for the Beloit Domestic Violence Center and the Rock County Court. She also provides Spanish and English language assistance for families when they communicate with landlords, Social Services and health professionals. Ms. Knibbs has befriended many Janesville area Hispanic women in need of special services and has put them in contact with providers who can offer assistance.

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Andrea-Teresa "Tess" Arenas,
UW System Administration

Andrea-Teresa "Tess" Arenas was unable to attend; accepting her award is her collegue, Marilyn Rhodes. Tess is the Assistant to the President for Multicultural Affairs for the University of Wisconsin System. She has oversight for: Plan 2008: Educational Quality Through Racial and Ethnic Diversity, one of the most comprehensive, systematic strategic plans to increase higher education diversity developed in this decade; meeting targeted multicultural student enrollment goals; preparation of policy options and reports; policy analysis, advising the President about trends affecting multicultural and disadvantaged programs; identifying multicultural needs for the UW System; and is the UW System liaison for multicultural / disadvantaged policies, the Multicultural Information Center and Institute on Race and Ethnicity.

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Debora Barerra Pontillo, Edgewood College

Debora Barerra Pontillo is the Coordinator for Minority Student Concerns. She has established herself as an advocate for students of color and a strong voice for the promotion of cross-cultural understanding. Ms. Pontillo has contributed to the growth and development of women of color by sponsoring a women of color "Talk Circle," providing empowerment workshops for students and extensive counseling, mentoring and advocacy. Ms. Pontillo established the Student of Various Ethnicities student organization. She also created diversity sessions for New Student Orientation and has provided a wide variety of classroom presentations.

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Rev. Mary Council-Austin,
Marian College

Reverend Mary Council-Austin has contributed countless efforts to promote understanding and justice across the Fond du Lac community and surrounding areas. As coordinator of Diversity at Marian College, she works campus wide to develop comprehensive strategies for diversity work with students, faculty and staff. She works in partnership with campus, religious, business and civic organizations to foster the embrace and celebration of diversity.

Rev. Council-Austin works closely with Fond du Lac City and County agencies to inspire the development of program policies to ensure that all members of the community will live free from hostility and experience equitable treatment through community service providers. On the campus, she coordinates the work of the Marian College Diversity Advisory Committee and works in partnership with The Offices of Student Life, Women's Studies, Social Justice and Community Relations and Mission. In the city she assisted in the founding of Community First (a diversity advisory committee to the Fond du Lac City Council), Unity for Diversity (formerly Peace Fest, Inc.), Fond du Lac Diversity Study Circles, and is a founding member of The Martin Luther King, Jr Holiday Observance Program Planning Committee. Rev. Council-Austin works with equity and diversity concerns with students and teachers in the Fond du Lac public and parochial schools to promote diversity and multicultural education. She works to ensure that the voices of all members of the community are heard and included in shaping the decisions affecting community life.

Before coming to the position at Marian College, Rev. Council-Austin served as Pastor of Salem United Methodist Church in Fond du Lac. She has coordinated the United Methodist Seminars on National and International Affairs, with Women's Division and the National Division of Global Ministries, and coordinated United Methodist involvement with Impact. As a member of the Wisconsin Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, Rev. Council Austin was the first racial ethnic women to serve under appointment. Serving in cross-cultural appointments, she was a pioneer in the church's efforts to demonstrate its commitment to open itinerancy and cross- racial / cross-cultural appointments. Rev. Council-Austin was the first female to serve as Assistant to the Dean of the historical Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel, Howard University in Washington, DC.

Mary is the recipient of numerous honors and awards. She was most recently honored as the 2004 recipient of the Donald Jones Leadership Fond du Lac Award for her volunteer efforts with the community diversity projects, programs with women in recovery, Fond du Lac Area United Way, and worship services with Taycheedah Correctional Facility - Maximum Security Unit. Rev. Mary is sought after as a speaker, preacher, civic and spiritual leader across Wisconsin and locations across the United States. Since 2001, she has been serving as Special Assistant to the President at Marian College for Diversity.

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M. Shawn Copeland,
Marquette University

M. Shawn Copeland is associate professor of Systemic Theology at Marquette University and associate professor of Systemic Theology at the Institute for Black Catholic Studies, Xavier University of Louisiana. She is the author of more than fifty articles, reviews and commentary in professional journals and books on such topics as suffering, identity and difference: the common human good, community and freedom. Dr. Copeland holds membership in several learned societies including the Catholic Theological Society of America, the Black Catholic Theological Symposium, where she serves as Associate Convener, the American Academy of Religion and the Society for the Study of Black Religion.

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Connie Burditt, Northland College

Connie Burditt is the Associate Director of Native American Studies and the Minority Student Coordinator and Counselor. She is a member of the Great Sioux Nation and is the Sixth Vice-Chair for HOCDU (Helping Our Country Develop Understanding), Inc., and alliance of Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal elders working together to regain responsibility for sacred lands. Ms. Burditt plays a major role in coordinating various Native American events on campus including the annual Native American Awareness Days and Environmental Conference. She also arranges multi-cultural events on campus. She is Head Woman of the Buffalo Calf Support Circle, a non-profit organization for the preservation ofIndigenous teachings by elders for their tribal youth. She is Director of a summer camp at Northland for precollege age students and the counselor for the Upward Bound at Northland. Ms. Burditt also teaches for both groups and she teaches several classed per semester for Northland. Ms. Burditt has started her own business raising Clean Beef outside of Ashland and will have my first for sail steers in the fall of 05.

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