Innovative Diversity Efforts Award — Grants

The goal of the Innovative Diversity Efforts Award is to provide funds to students, faculty and staff members who want to test innovative ideas and/or develop sustainable activities and projects that would enrich the diversity of JMU. Individuals, departments, units or groups submit proposals for activities designed to enhance diversity in its broadest terms including socioeconomic status and background, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability, veteran/military service status, or any combination.

The selection committee selects awardees using the following factors:

• Originality

• Impact of program on campus

• Duration of activity or project

• Feasibility

• Sustainability and/or follow up activities

2006–2007: Twenty–eight Proposals Submitted with 9 Grants Awarded Totaling $31,999

CISAT Diversity Council (Cheryl Talley) 2008 JMU Conference on Race and Ethnicity: Mr. Madison on Diversity and Democracy: Fund trip for Diversity Council Chairs to NCORE followed by planning a conference in 2008.

Division of Administration and Finance (Towana Moore and Brian Charette) The Utilities and Trades Minority Apprenticeship Program: Advertise and recruit two persons from underrepresented groups to serve as apprentices in Facilities Management Unit.

Office of Human Resources (Jennifer Campfield and Brett Sinclair) Diversity Advertising Program: To provide supplemental minority focused advertising by working with units during the hiring process.

Professor-in-Residence (Oris Griffin and Cindy Klevickis) Dual Enrollment for JMU Courses in Richmond City Schools: Provide tuition reimbursement for 20 students from PIR schools.

CISAT Diversity Council (B. J. Bryson) Inclusion is for Everyone!: Support a Faculty Roundtable session and disseminate best practices in diversifying the curriculum.

Academic Advising and Career Development (Kate McDaniel and Barbara Daniel) Job Search and Career Resources for International Students: Purchase subscriptions to online databases for international students.

College of Science and Mathematics Diversity Council (David Brakke, Ioana Niculescu and Kristen St. John) Open Your Mind: Provide matching funds to support a visiting scholars program that would emphasize diversity.

Madison Art Collection (Kathryn Monger and Melanie Mason) Mingle with Mali: Enrich preparation of IDLS students by providing lessons and teaching materials about the history and culture of West Africa, especially Mali.

Madison Teaching Fellows (Susan Ghiaciuc, Carol Hamilton and Carlos Aleman) Developing Faculty Awareness of Engage!: Organize faculty initiated programs to facilitate relations between JMU and underserved populations in Harrisonburg.

2007-2008: Forty-two Proposals Submitted with 9 Grants Awarded Totaling $33,700

Center for Multicultural Student Services (Jennifer Kasey and Dusty Krikau) Facilitating Students’ Awareness of White Privilege: The "Growing up White; Making Whiteness Visible" Workshop Series.

Madison Art Collection (Kathryn Stevens and Melanie Brimhall-Madison) Prism Gallery: Reflecting Diversity at JMU.

Library and Technical Education (Jody Fagan) African American Biographical Database: Purchase access to African American Biographical Database for use by Faculty/Staff and Students.

University Recreation Center (Holly Wade) African Kukuwa Dance: Provide dance classes to faculty, staff and students.

Office of International Programs (Jennifer Coffman and Matthew Chamberlin) Profiles in Diversity.

Humanities and Social Sciences (Kay Knickrehm and Glenn Hastedt) Promoting Diversity within the New College of Public and International Affairs: A Graduate Fellows Program.

CISAT and COB Diversity Councils (Daphyne Thomas and Larry Ham) Collaboration on an internal climate study for their colleges: Design, Develop, Deliver and Evaluate a diversity survey

College of Science and Math (Dean Cocking) Diversity Dialogues: Provide opportunities for conversations about diversity to CSM students with faculty and Visiting Scholars.

College of Education (Cheryl Beverly and George Font) VOICES: Hear the Voices of Experience: Arrange for panels of those with common experiences to tell their stories and answer questions.

2008-2009: Thirty-nine Proposals Submitted with 10 Grants Awarded Totaling $37,414

College of Science and Math (Anthony Tongen and Roger Thelwell) M3: Mentoring for Minorities in Mathematics: Four underrepresented (minority) students were able to participate in a six–week research learning activity.

Department of Social Work (Karen Ford, B. J. Bryson, Nancy Poe and Cindy Hunter) Positive Practices of Student Focused Learning for Diversity and Inclusion: Conduct an online survey of all majors in that area and faculty led focus groups with under represented diverse students to determine the learning outcomes of their diversity focused curriculum.

College of Education, CISAT and Admissions (Mary Slade, Oris Griffin, Cindy Klevickis, Monyette Martin) Building Community Through Service Learning with Inner–City Middle School Students and a Community in Need: Enhance JMU and Richmond City Schools Middle–School students’ cultural competence regarding impoverished rural community and foster students’ civic engagement.

HR Training and Development (Jennifer Testa) The Ways of the World: a 12–month diversity program designed to teach participants about the aspects of different cultures.

Department of Biology (Ericka Kancler) Mini–med School: Planning to establish a summer program "Mini-med School" to attract motivated underrepresented minority students to the health profession fields.

Graduate Psychology (Renee Staton and Michele Kielty Briggs) The Girls′ Leadership Experience Camp: Enhance the camper′s well–being and healthy self–awareness while increasing their sense of academic and career self–efficacy.

Sociology and Anthropology (Laura Lewis) Marching Through History with Cesar Chavez and the Farm Workers: Recognition of the work of Cesar Chavez with the United Farm Workers by bringing Cathy Murphy and her photographic biography to campus in honor of his 31st birthday.

School of Music (Lisa Maynard) Making Music, Making Friends: Exploring Opportunities for Future Music Teachers in Inner City Schools with Diverse Populations.

College of Education (Michele Estes, Jane Thall and Oris Griffin) Building and Sustaining an Online Social Network of At–Risk Students for Educational Persistence: Implement and sustain an ongoing and mutually beneficial partnership involving at–risk students in the Step Up program at William Fleming High School in Roanoke, Virginia and the centennial Scholars graduate students at JMU.

English Department (Erica Bleeg) Stories for a New Millennium at JMU: Record testimonials of JMU student and alumni of their experiences here as students. To be posted on the Diversity Web Page as audio files.

2009-2010: Thirty-four Proposals Submitted with 9 Grants Awarded Totaling $24,780

Sarah Orem, Orientation: We are JMU.

Kristen Shrewsbury, Learning Resource Center: Journal of the JMU Multilingual Writer′s Community.

Valerie Schoolcraft, Rory Lazowski and Matt Trybus of Disability Services along with Christina Bartholomew and Melinda Burchard in Education Programs: Madison Access.

Carol Fleming, Outreach & Engagement: Exploring Identity a summer program that will foster positive identity and the empowerment of children.

Melissa Aleman, School of Communication, and Meredith Burns: Enhancing Technological Literacy to Increase Diversity of Women′s Voices on Campus.

Anthony Teate, CISAT, and Renee Parilak, Alumna: JMU Overnight Experience.

Laura Desporte, Mary Slade and David Herr, Exceptional Education: Partnering of JMU and Inn–City High School Students.

Paul & Dusty Krikau, Greg Meyer, Chris Orem, Tracy Lanier, Karen Connor, Matthew Lee and Nancy Poe: The House of Privilege.

Harriet Cobb, Robin Anderson, Renee Staton, and Cheree Hammond of Graduate Psychology: Introducing Intergroup Dialogue to JMU: Training for Faculty, Professional Staff, and Graduate Students in Deepening Great Intergroup Communication and Relationships on Campus.

2010-2011: Twenty Seven Proposals Submitted with 8 Grants Awarded Totaling $23,250

Walter Ghant, Community Service Learning: Local Leadership Development with an Introduction to Restorative Justice: JMU/Northeast Neighborhood Association Partnership.

Craig Short, Procurement: SWAM Purchasing Awareness Training Materials & Support.

Mary Thompson, ISAT: Sister Speak: Ending Harassment Through Bystander Intervention.

Morgan Benton, ISAT: New Beginnings: Fostering College Readiness for Low–Income and Minority Students.

Catherine Smathers, COB Student: College of Business Student Diversity Council.

Anthony Teate, ISAT: Continuation of the JMU Overnight Experience Program.

Nicole Neitzey, Mine Action: Post–Conflict Recovery Week—Speaker Housing.

Kate Stevens, Madison Art Collection: Kathryn Eye Congo Collections.

2011-2012: Twenty Four Proposals Submitted with 6 Grants Awarded Totaling $18,350

Aderonke Adesanya, Art Design & Art History: Exhibition Seminar on African Dress Entitled: Dress and Identity in African Cultures.

Sarah Brooks, Art Design & Art History: Cultura y Comunidad: Workshop on Latino History and Culture for the Rockingham County Educational Community.

Katherine Trammell, Theatre & Dance: Axis Dance Company — Residency at JMU: Ability in Action.

Tiffany Fung, COB Student Diversity Council: COB Student Diversity Council: Conference Participation.

Daniel Robinson, Institute for Visual Studies: Engaging Opportunities: Creative Inquiry Through Image.

Dawn Womack, DUX Leadership Center: Enriching Diversity Through DISC Workshop Series with a Diverse Student Group.