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K-State Today

September 17, 2020

Nominations open: Commerce Bank Presidential awards for diversity

Submitted by Mirta Chavez

Nominations are open for the Commerce Bank Presidential Faculty and Staff Award for Distinguished Service to Historically Underrepresented Students and the Student Award for Distinguished Services in Enhancing Multiculturalism at K-State.

The nomination and application forms are available now on the Diversity and Multicultural Student Affairs website. The nomination deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23

The faculty and staff award, established in 1978, recognizes an outstanding individual's contributions to the development of quality education for historically underrepresented students at Kansas State University. Nominees may be a faculty or staff member, an alumnus, or a friend of the university. The William T. Kemper Foundation and Commerce Bank sponsor this cash award.

The student award, established in spring 1997, recognizes an outstanding student's contributions to diversity enhancement within the student sector. The William T. Kemper Foundation and Commerce Bank sponsor this cash award.

Commerce Bank Presidential Awards Selections Committee members include:

  • Adrian Rodriguez, associate vice president for student life of diversity and multicultural student sffairs
  • Trisha Gott, associate director, Staley School of Leadership Studies.
  • Patricia Hudgins, associate director, Career Center.
  • Rebeca Paz, assistant director, Office of First-generation Students.
  • Spencer Clark, associate professor of curriculum and instruction.
  • Brandon Haddock, coordinator, LGBT Resource Center.
  • Amy Betz, assistant dean for retention, diversity and inclusion, Carl R. Ice College of Engineering.
  • Bryan Samuel, chief diversity and inclusion officer.
  • Mirta Chavez, committee chair, director of multicultural programs and services, Office of Diversity and Multicultural Student Affairs.

Both award recipients will be celebrated at the Commerce Bank Awards reception on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, as part of the university's Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Week.

For more information, contact Caitlyn Wells, selection committee staff support, at caiwel@k-state.edu or 785-532-6276 or Mirta Chavez, selections committee chair, at mirta@k-state.edu.