31St Annual GRADUATION RECEPTION
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31st Annual GRADUATION RECEPTION MAY 12, 2021 Virtual Celebration Center for Diversity & Enrichment Graduation Reception Master of Ceremonies Tabitha N. Wiggins, MS, MBA Interim Director, Center for Diversity and Enrichment Welcome Dr. Liz Tovar Executive Officer and Associate Vice Presi- dent of the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Keynote Speakers Tracy Peterson (he/him/hastiin) Alum Keynote Speaker Ruth Kahssai (she/her/hers) Graduating Student Keynote Speaker Presentation of Dean’s Dean’s Achievement Awards Achievement Awards Presentation of Distinguished Educator Award Awardee: Alex C. Lange, Ph.D. Presentation of Student Student Leadership Awards Leadership Awards Recognition of Graduates Open Mic Sharing Closing Remarks Tabitha N. Wiggins, MS, MBA Interim Director, Center for Diversity and Enrichment Special thanks to: Hands Up Communications 2 Keynote Speaker Tracy Peterson Tracy is a citizen of the Diné (Navajo) Nation, of the Zuni Clan of the Edgewater People Clan, born for the Bitter Water People Clan. His paternal grandfather’s clan is the Towering House People, and his maternal grandfather’s clan is the Big Water People. Dividing his undergraduate education between the University of Iowa and the University of New Mexico, Tracy graduated with both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Iowa. Tracy serves as the director of student transitions and pre-college programs, center for engineering outreach and inclusion, in the college of engineering at the Pennsylvania State University. He is responsible for coordinating the leadership initiatives, academic support, and transition programs for change of campus students across the commonwealth, veterans, and other adult learners entering the college of engineering. He is also responsible for the youth program policies for the college, collaboration with campus partners for engineering pre-college programs, and the development and operation of academic and co- curricular programs geared towards pre-college students that will enhance college readiness, foster inclusion, and increase the success of underrepresented students in STEM. Tracy continually works on developing best practices for the retention and success of underrepresented students in Higher Education. He is committed to empowering students in achieving academic success by enhancing their academic, professional, cultural, and personal experiences. He is actively involved with national and state organizations in the areas of Student Development and Student Affairs. Tracy is currently in a doctoral program in Student Affairs Administration and Leadership at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. 3 Keynote Speaker Ruth Kahssai Ruth Kahssai is a fourth-year undergraduate student pursuing a B.A. in Social Work, a B.A. in Social Justice with a Health Emphasis, and a Minor in Psychology. Born and raised in Carol Stream, Illinois, Ruth is the first in her family to attend college and is grateful for her family and the vast sacrifices they made towards her achieving this goal. Upon arriving to campus, Ruth quickly began to explore her interests in social justice, coalition building, and racial justice. She first became involved with Campus Activities Board, starting the first Inclusion Task Force among other interorganizational initiatives. Soon after, Ruth was involved in student government and worked on initiatives such as Healing Spaces, organized the first 2021 call for the University of Iowa to cut ties with Iowa City Police Department and other demands, chaired the third annual I’m the First first-generation summit, and held leadership within the Justice & Equity committee. Additionally, Ruth worked as a resident assistant to the … (continued on next page) 4 (continued from previous page) … Political Matters Living Learning Community; participated in both Alternative Spring Break and study abroad; and volunteered in the Women’s Resource Action Center, Rape Victim Advocacy Program, among other activities and opportunities. She completed an academic internship with Dr. Lina-Maria Murillo engaging in historical archival research on reproductive justice on the U.S.-Mexico border in the early 20th century, as well as with Dr. Maria Bruno for her social work practicum researching diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in higher education. Kahssai was awarded the 2020 Kristen K. Lippke Memorial Scholarship through the Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies Department, the 2020 First Generation Student Achievement Award, and the 2021 Distinguished Student Leader Undergraduate Award. Ruth’s areas of interest are the intersections between racial justice and public health. Post-graduation, she will be virtually attending Columbia University’s Summer Public Health Scholars Program, getting rest, and figuring out what’s next. Ruth enjoys baking, reading, and being with those that she loves. Ruth would like to extend deep gratitude to the students, staff, and faculty that have been her lifeline here at the university: she is forever grateful. 5 Distinguished Educator Award Alex C. Lange, Ph.D. Alex C. Lange, Ph.D., has an impatient, enduring hope for a just, caring, and thriving world. Professionally, they work within and study higher education through the eyes and lives of transgender college students. Alex recently completed their Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Leadership Studies at the University of Iowa. They also research student activists' experiences who organize around race, gender, sexuality, class, and disability. In their free time, Alex is listening to a podcast, reading something not related to their research, or watching reruns of one of their favorite shows. 6 Dean’s Achievement Awards Annually, the deans for each of the eleven colleges at the University of Iowa are asked to select outstanding underrepresented students for this award who have exemplified, promoted, or contributed to diversity at the University of Iowa. Students receive a certificate designating them as a Dean’s Achievement Award recipient. Henry B. Tippie College of Business Nanette Chapa is a double-major Management and Business Analytics student, with a French Minor, from Peoria, Illinois. Nanette has served many roles helping other students, including being a Summer Gateway Mentor, a Direct Admit Peer Mentor, a Tippie DEI Ambassador, and a student manager at the IMU Welcome Desk. Nanette served as President of the Multicultural Business Student Association, Secretary of the Tippie Business Honor Society, and as a research assistant auditing undergraduate syllabi for inclusive language and, most recently, surveying all faculty in the Tippie College of Business examining the use of inclusive teaching practices. College of Education Dellyssa Edinboro is a doctoral candidate in the Schools, Culture, and Society Program. She researches the history of Black women's educational experiences outside of the United States. Dellyssa has received the Obermann Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies' Fellowship and Humanities for the Public Good internship, the Adele Kimm Scholarship, and the American College Testing (ACT) Fellowship. As a community advocate, she works with the Center for Afrofuturist Studies, an Iowa City-based artist residency program that champions artists of color. After graduation, Dellyssa plans to continue to advance education and diversity and inclusion initiatives in academia and community organizations. 7 College of Engineering Gabriela “Gaby” Moya is a chemical engineering BSE candidate from Davenport, Iowa. Gaby participated in the CIMBA Italy study abroad program, is president of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and served as a mentor in the Society of Women Engineers and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Gaby worked as an undergraduate teaching assistant and is an undergraduate research assistant in the Forbes Research Group through the UI LSAMP program. Her volunteer work with Hawkeye Service Breaks has addressed food insecurity in Iowa City. After graduation, Gaby will be completing a co-op at Emerson within their Intelligent Automation Team. College of Law Emani Marshall-Loving is a J.D. Candidate in the College of Law from Omaha, NE. She was a member of the Black Law Students Association, Graduate & Professional Student Government, and Iowa Student Bar Association, served as a Student Ambassador, and interned with the Department of Justice. She competed on Iowa Law’s Jessup International Moot Court Team and served as a Note & Comment Editor on the Journal of Corporation Law. After graduation, Emani will work as a law clerk at the Iowa Supreme Court and then move to Minneapolis, where she will be an associate at Fredrikson & Byron. College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Maria Fernanda Carriel, an international student from Ecuador, is a senior majoring in both Neuroscience and Philosophy on the pre- medicine track, with minors in Psychology and Chemistry. Her dream goal is to become a psychiatrist as she feels passionately about how the human mind functions, how our cognitive differences come about, and the diverse approaches scientists employ to find out the “why” behind distinct human behaviors. A curious individual since birth, her life revolves around learning. 8 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Jocelyn Roof (she/her) is a fourth-year student from Waterloo, IA, studying political science and sociology with a certificate in social science analytics. Jocelyn has been an education policy intern at the UI Public Policy Center since 2018 and served as executive