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K-State Today

October 23, 2024

Nominations open: Commerce Bank Presidential awards for diversity

Submitted by Mirta Rodriguez-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 to Enhancing Multiculturalism at K-State.

The nomination and application forms are available now on the Student Belonging and Inclusion website. The nomination deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8. 

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 Student Award, established in spring 1997, recognizes an outstanding student's contributions to diversity enhancement within the student sector.

Commerce Bank Presidential awards selections committee members include:

  • Mirta Rodriguez-Chavez, committee chair, assistant vice president for student belonging and inclusion
  • Tamara Bauer, instructor, Staley School of Leadership
  • Rebeca Paz, assistant director, Office of First-generation Students
  • Mitzi Farmer, director of academic services, College of Architecture, Planning & Design
  • Mariya Vaughn, interim coordinator, Spectrum Center
  • Amy Betz, assistant dean for retention, diversity and inclusion, mechanical and nuclear engineering department

Award recipients will be celebrated at the Commerce Bank awards reception on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, as part of the university's Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Week.

For more information, contact Chavez at mirta@k-state.edu.