UW System Outstanding
Women of Color In Education Awards

Sarada Prasad, UW Colleges

Prof. Prasad served as Chair of the Department of Business and Economics at UW Colleges from 1999-2003 and as a faculty representative on the Advisory Committee of the UW System Institute for Race and Ethnicity. Prof. Prasad has served as a member and chair of a variety of committees at her campus including the Steering, Appointments, Curriculum, Merit, Computer Technology, Lectures and Scholarship committees. She currently is on the campus Tenure, Promotion and Retention Committee and is the Chair of the UW Washington County Scholarship Committee. She also serves on the Board of the Washington County Campus Foundation as Assistant Treasurer. She is the faculty advisor to the UW-Washington County Business Club and has delivered several research papers.

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Marguerite Taylor, UW-Eau Claire

Marguerite Taylor is Assistant to the Director of Human Resources for the City of Eau Claire. She has made contributions to diversity and women's studies throughout the UW-Eau Claire community, the Chippewa Valley and surrounding communities. Ms. Taylor got her start in the public school system and soon transferred her ideas to a broader audience by helping communities embrace and understand diversity while dismantling misconceptions and stereotypes. She has served as a speaker for UW-Eau Claire, the Chippewa Valley Technical College, and the SHRM Society of Human Resource and Manage-ment. She often leads lectures and discussions on affirmative action policy, recruitment of underrepresented persons in both the public and private sector, and employment law. Ms. Taylor is also involved in numerous other outreach programs.

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Carmen Jackson, UW Extension

Ms. Jackson is the Broadcasting Specialist for Wisconsin Public Radio at UW-Extension; is the producer of Jean Feraca's daily call-in program on the Ideas Network of WPR; is the Senior Producer for Higher Ground, a program that consists of discussions and perspectives with a rich ethnic and cultural texture; and is the Minority Programming Coordinator for WPR. Ms. Jackson has mentored numerous volunteers, interns, and new producers while serving on a variety of committees including the UW-Extension Diversity Council and search and screen committees for WPR. She also proofreads Spanish translations for UW Cooperative Extension publications.

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Juliet Cole, UW-Green Bay

Juliet Cole supervises UW-Green Bay student mentors at Green Bay East High School and mentors African American students at Washington Middle School, Green Bay. She teaches a Cultural Images general education course at UW-Green Bay and serves as a resource for faculty, teachers, students, churches, and women's groups on subjects such as black culture, African and Arab women and other cross-cultural issues. Ms. Cole initiates activities to bring diversity to the campus and Green Bay community including the annual International Dinner. She is founder of the Nia African/African American Dance Group and one of the organizers of the community's Intercultural Dance Festival and the Brown County Diversity Circles, to have conversations about critical social issues. She is a well-regarded speaker on topics in humanities, human development, education, ethnic studies, and women's studies. Ms. Cole serves as a member of Campus Diversity Plan 2008, Chancellor's Advisory Council on Diversity and Northeast Wisconsin Community Diversity Council. She adds her expertise to the Green Bay Area Public Schools Diversity Committee, Minority Student Achievement Committee and Curriculum/Staff Development subcommittee, among others. She also enjoys choreographing African and African American dance forms and movements, telling folktales, and teaching African songs.

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Telitha Bean Thompson, UW-La Crosse

Telitha Bean Thompson is the Academic & Retention Skills Specialist where she dedicates herself to the retention of multicultural students. Her work with women of color has been recognized as one of her most significant contributions to the campus. She is also recognized as an excellent counselor, mentor, and friend. As a diligent worker Ms. Thompson provides young women with a role model of tenacity and strength. She serves on numerous committees to enhance the environment for multicultural students including ALANA (a African, Latina, Asian and Native American descent organization) in which she serves as the primary advisor. She also organized the first Women of Color Conference, held in the spring of 1999, which was the best-attended conference UW-La Crosse has ever hosted.

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Gloria Hawkins, UW-Madison

Gloria Hawkins is a staff member of the UW National Center of Excellence in Women's Health and participates in the Curriculum and Faculty Development Team. She is the director of two summer programs for high school students on the UW-Madison campus which focus on bringing students from minority and underrepresented populations who are interested in science and/or medicine to a university research lab setting. She strives to maintain enrollment for minority students at all levels of health profession training and works toward achieving a higher percentage of women and minorit academicians at the medical school and university levels. Ms. Hawkins is also responsible for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant which was awarded to the UW-Madison Medical School. She also serves on the Dean's Diversity Team; the Dean's Administrative Council; and is a mentor to both faculty and students.

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Pauli Taylorboyd, UW-Milwaukee

Pauli Taylorboyd is the former Coordinator of the Office of Training and Development at UW-Milwaukee, and now is the Director of Employee Development and teaches Africology courses at UW-Milwaukee as well as at MATC. In the past she was awarded for organizing the Midwest Summits and the Institute on Homophobia and was the co-editor of Myriad publication. She was a member of the UWM South African Training Team from 1994-96 at South African historically black colleges and universities working to transform "war tactics" to "peace strategies." She considers this her greatest achievement. Ms. Taylorboyd has also serves on the Board of Health Care for the Homeless and Community Shares, works with Link Sisters (in 1999 she received the regional award for the Link with the most community service commitments), is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha and the Milwaukee NAACP. She also serves as a facilitator ofthe UW-Milwaukee Interracial Communications Project. Ms. Taylorboyd holds a record of outstanding and commendable teaching, training, activism, and community service.

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Beatriz Contreras, UW-Oshkosh

Beatriz Contreras is the Director of Financial Aid at UW-Oshkosh. She actively represents the Wisconsin Association of Financial Aid Professionals and organizes the coordination of workshops and presentations geared toward minority families considering post-secondary educational opportunities and financial aid. She also serves as a resource for women of color within the university committee, serves as co-advisor to the student organization Hispanic Cultures United, counsels women of color on family, career, and financial aid and serves as a volunteer to translate and interpret Spanish and English. Ms. Contreras is a member of the UW-Oshkosh Affirmative Action Council, WASFAA (Wisconsin Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators), MASFAA (Midwest ...), NASFAA (National ...), and American MENSA. In addition, she serves as an Advisor to the Baha'i Campus Club.

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Janet Days, UW-Parkside

Ms. Days is the Director of Educational Support Services where she does instructing, scheduling, counseling, financial aid work and advising. She was nominated for the "In Her Footsteps" Award and received a certificate of appreciation from the Black Student Union in 1999. In addition, Ms. Days has served on the Academic Staff Committee, worked with Alumni Relations, and was a panelist at the UW-Parkside Black Student Union Discussion/Social. She also serves on the WAEOPP (Wisconsin Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel) Executive Board and was a co-presenter at the 1999 State of Wisconsin AHANA Student Leadership Conference. Ms. Days volunteers within her community at Racine's "Make a Difference Day" and Sustainable Racine.

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Donney Moroney, UW-Platteville

Although Donney Moroney was unable to attend the ceremony, her sister Yovira (pictured here) did accept the award on her behalf. Donney was the Interim Multi-Cultural Services Advisor/Pre-College Coordinator at UW-Platteville before accepting the position of Student Services Associate for the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. While at Platteville, Ms. Moroney was a Plan 2008 Coordinator, developed a referal program among administrative offices to identify and assist students requiring additional support, and contributed to numerous workshop and diversity presentations. She also received the YMCA Tribute to Outstanding Young Women of Tomorrow Award and the Juan Andrade, Jr. National Scholarship for Young Hispanic Leaders Award.

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Gao Xiong, UW-River Falls

Gao Xiong is currently a junior English/Education major at UW-River Falls and is a key student staff member in the Precollege program. Ms. Xiong has made significant contributions through her leadership to the campus community. She is co-president of the Asian-American Student Association under the auspices of which she has brought diverse groups of students together. She is a community leader, a Hall Council Representative, and is involved in the recruitment of other Hmong women to the campus. Ms. Xiong strives to make the dream of a college education a reality for young women of multi-cultural backgrounds.

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Constance Fang, UW-Stevens Point

Constance Fang is the special programs coordinator at the UW-Stevens Point Foreign Student Office, a position she has held for 15 years. She has recently retired from her other job after serving for 23 years as Organist and Director of Worship at St. Paul's United Methodist Church. Prior to her retirement, Constance chaired a national convocation of the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts, having served as president of the North Central Jurisdiction and as clinician at the national and jurisdictional convocations. She was recognized for initiating a dual track program, one catering to United Methodist pastors and the other to musicians and other worship artists serving United Methodist Churches.

Constance has received numerous recognitions for her work with students and community folks. Specifically, she received the University Leaders Association Mentor's Award for her role as Advisor to the International Club, guiding the Club members in organizing and hosting the highly successful annual International Dinners, now in its 35th year. She was honored with the UWSP Academic Staff Community Spirit Award, 2004 for her work recruiting students and families for the Host Family Program and coordinating the Program's many activities, for planning the community Lunar New Year celebrations and the fall Welcome Picnics, and especially for her leadership role (secretary of the board of directors) in the Portage County Cultural Festival, a high profile, an award-winning community initiative highlighting the many cultures present in this Central Wisconsin county. The festival drew more than 12,000 people last year to this one-day event.

The community has also honored Constance and her husband by including them in Community Treasures, a special Stevens Point Journal publication on March 31, 2001 recognizing a select list of area residents who had made significant contributions to the community. Constance and Marc felt honored to be among the select 35 residents featured. And for the many years of outstanding leadership by Constance and Marc, the university recently named the "International Corner" at the University Center in their honor, as "Fangs' Landing."

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Blia Vang Schwahn, UW-Stout

Blia Schwahn is the bilingual para-educator in the Menomonie Public Schools. She has committed herself to helping Hmong students succeed and serves as a role model, resource, and advocate for Hmong girls and women. She has facilitated elementary and high school groups, served on he Neighbor-Neighbor Committee, established day care programs at area high schools, and handles conflict resolution at all levels. UW-Stout has been affected by Ms. Schwahn's work as she has had a tremendous impact on the attitudes and acceptance of diversity. With her outstanding public relations skills, Ms. Schwahn has dedicated herself to supporting Hmong mothers and helping students maintain culture while successfully integrating into the educational system.

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Adele Bush, UW-Superior

Ms. Bush is a member of the Praire Band Potawatomi Tribe. She is a second year social work major at UW-Superior and hopes to one day wok on a reservation helping clients deal with alcohol and substance abuse issues. She is in the American Indian Student Organization, Alcohol and Drug Awareness Program and the Mentor/Mentee Program. Ms. Bush is currently researching her tribe and family tree visiting reservations in Kansas while undertaking a study of tribal by-laws. She also studies the Potawatomi language via the internet and enjoys gardening, traveling, and drag racing. She is s member of the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association).

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Samantha Samreth, UW-Whitewater

Samantha Samreth, began her career in higher education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in September 1998. Currently, she is an Academic Advisor for the College of business and Economics. Her main responsibility is advising Pre-Business majors; making sure that they are taking the right courses for their intended major or career. Ms. Samreth, through career exploration, awareness, planning and placement, provides students with professional career counseling. She is regarded as a campus-wide liaison, assisting students with scholarships, grants, college admission applications, and tutorial service information. She also teaches the New Student Seminar for the last six years. This course is designed to help facilitate a positive adjustment to the first year of college through the development of both written and oral communication skills, critical thinking skills, group presentation skills, etc. In addition, she had the opportunity to co-teach and participate in a short-term study travel coursesStudy/Travel Forum to India (Fall 2003), Study/Travel Forum to Brazil (Spring 2003), & Study/Travel Forum to Southeast Asia (Spring 2002). The focus of this course was to provide students with insight into the political, social, and economic development in the prospected countries. It enhanced the students' global perspectives. Plus, Ms. Samreth is the advisor for the Southeast Asian Organization for the last six years and she volunteers for the Refugee Buddhist Society and Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Dane County.

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