ESU Office of Multicultural Affairs Hosts Awards and Recognition Reception

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania (ESU) Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) hosted its 16th Annual Multicultural Awards and Recognition Reception on Wednesday, May 8, 2013, on the ESU campus. This event recognized students, faculty and staff for their excellence and achievement in academics, leadership and service during the 2012-2013 academic year. Felicia Revero, a Theatre major from Sewell, N.J., received the award for Outstanding Graduating Senior for Academic and Service Achievement; Cadia Woods, a Sophomore majoring in both Economics and French with a Minor in Business Management from Stroudsburg, Pa., earned the award for outstanding academics; and Efia King, a Junior majoring in Communication Studies with a concentration in Speech Communication and dual minors in Political Science and Women’s Studies, from Philadelphia, Pa., was honored with the visionary student leader award during the ceremony. Jose Martinez, a Junior major from East Stroudsburg, Pa., was honored as Most Dedicated Multicultural Organization Advisory Board (MOAB) Member, and the Latino American Association was recognized as the most active student organization.

The Office of Multicultural affairs also presented Mrs. Lourdes O’Kane, secretary, Office of Diversity & Equal Opportunity, with a certificate of appreciation for her assistance and volunteerism throughout the academic year, and ESU students Shane McFarlane from Reading, Pa., Patricia Nguyen Bala Cynwyd, Pa., Damon Williams from Allentown, Pa., and Efia King received honors for their service. The following faculty and staff members were also recognized for their support of multicultural initiatives on campus: Jazmyn Pulley, assistant director of student activities; Dr. Patricia Graham, professor emerita of intercultural and interdisciplinary studies; Matthew Simmons, resident director and coordinator of LGBTQA programs; and Jeter Smith, resident director.

The following faculty and staff members were recognized for their work as student organization advisors during the 2012-2013 academic year: Shannon Frystak, Ph.D., associate professor of history, African-American Student Alliance (AASA); Jazmyn Pulley, Chi Upsilon Sigma, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and Muslim Student Association (MSA) Adviser; Pattabiraman Neelakantan, Ph.D., professor and chair of economics, DESI Student Organization; Jeter Smith resident director, Diversity Committee; Andrea McClanahan, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the department of communication studies and interim director of women’s studies, Feminist Alliance; Michael Laffey, coordinator, international programs, International Student Organization (ISO); Esther Daganzo-Cantens, Ph.D., assistant professor of modern languages, Latino/Hispanic American Association (LAA) and Spanish Club; Jennifer Castro, assistant director of admission, Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc.; Nurun Begum, Ph.D., former advisor of the Muslim Student Organization; Matthew Simmons, resident director, and coordinator of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Ally (LGBTQA) programs, People Recognizing Individual Differences in Education (PRIDE); Patricia Graham, D.Ed., professor emerita of intercultural and interdisciplinary studies, Race Relations Project (RRP) and Voice of Triumph Adviser.

ESU students were also recognized at this ceremony for academic achievement, leadership, and commitment as noted below, in the following categories:

African-American Student Alliance (AASA)
Academic Achievement: Viqutoria Conner, Senior, Psychology, Philadelphia, Pa.
Leadership and Commitment: Basir Ali, Sophomore, Communication Studies with a concentration in Public Relations; Minor in English, Philadelphia, Pa.

Chi Upsilon Sigma
Commitment: Abdelis Vega, Junior, Communication Studies with a concentration in Media Studies; Minor in Women’s Studies, Ranshaw, Pa.

DESI Student Organization
Academic Achievement: Aalih Hussein, Sophomore, Dual Major in Social Work and Sociology, East Stroudsburg, Pa.
Leadership: Priya Kaur Rattan, an undeclared major from Easton, Pa.
Commitment: Atiba Khan, Sophomore, Business Management, Stroudsburg, Pa.

Diversity Committee
Leadership and Commitment: Merlin Lluberes, Junior, Interdisciplinary Studies, Reading, Pa. and Daren Feliciano, Senior, Physical Education, Lindenhurst, N.Y.
Commitment: Robert Antinoro, Sophomore, History, Morrisville, Pa. and Michelle Cooke, Freshman, Dual Major in Criminal Justice and Sociology, Levittown, Pa.

Feminist Alliance
Academic Achievement: Emily Fox, Sophomore, Biochemistry; Minor in Women’s Studies, Matamoras, Pa.
Leadership: Felicia Revero, Senior, Theatre, Sewell, N.J.
Commitment: Molly Carson, Junior, Social Work; Minor in Women’s Studies, East Stroudsburg, Pa.

International Student Organization (ISO)
Academic Achievement: Khriswayne Wallace, Senior, Business Management, Bronx, N.Y.
Leadership: Sarah Morabu, Junior, Public Health, Douglassville, Pa.
Commitment: Phillip Domschke, Senior, Dual Major in Economics and Business Management with concentrations in both Mathematics and Finance, Sinzig, Germany

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Academic Achievement: Phillip Anthony, Senior, Communication Studies with a concentration in Broadcasting; Minor in Theatre, Newark, Del.
Leadership: John Lopez, Senior, Dual Major in Philosophy and Political Science with a concentration in Politics and Government, Allentown, Pa.
Commitment: Jo-El Leek, Junior, Philosophy, Philadelphia, Pa.

Latino/Hispanic American Association (LAA)
Academic Achievement: Marlene Cotto, Senior, Psychology with a concentration in Applied Psychology; Minor in Philosophy, Allentown, Pa.
Leadership: Rebecca Tabarez, Junior, Biology with a concentration in General Biology, Reading, Pa.
Commitment: Maritza Rodriguez, Freshman, Biology with a concentration in Pre-Medicine, Philadelphia, Pa.

Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc.
Academic Achievement: Erika Dominguez, Sophomore, Communication Studies with a concentration in Public Relations, Reading, Pa.
Leadership: Amanda Rodriguez, Sophomore, Criminal Justice, Philadelphia, Pa.
Commitment: Enecia Rivera, Senior, Biology with a concentration in Pre-Physician’s Assistant, East Stroudsburg, Pa.

Muslim Student Association (MSA)
Academic Achievement: Aalih Hussein, Sophomore, Dual Major in Social Work and Sociology, East Stroudsburg, Pa.
Leadership: Atiba Khan, Sophomore, Business Management, Stroudsburg, Pa.
Commitment: Aiza Khawaja, Sophomore, Political Science with a concentration in Pre-Law; Minor in Women’s Studies, East Stroudsburg, Pa.

People Recognizing Individual Differences in Education (PRIDE)
Academic Achievement: Daniel Rosenberg, Senior, Spanish, East Windsor, N.J.
Leadership: Rhiannon Milliard, Junior, Communication Studies with a concentration Public Relations; Minor in Women’s Studies, Jim Thorpe, Pa.
Commitment: AJ Ferreira, Junior, Media Communication and Technology, Readington, N.J.

Race Relations Project
Academic Achievement: Maure Perrymond, Graduate Student, Clinical Exercise Physiology, Pottstown, Pa. and Claude
Charles, Graduate Student, Clinical Exercise Physiology, Philadelphia, Pa.
Leadership: Esther Joseph, Senior, Interdisciplinary Studies, Philadelphia, Pa.
Commitment: Sade Thompson, Senior, Sociology with a concentration in General Sociology; Minor in Social Work, Philadelphia, Pa.

Spanish Club
Academic Achievement: Shannon Baker, Junior, Speech-Language Pathology; Minor in Spanish, Bethlehem, Pa.
Leadership: Doris Santana, Junior, Dual Major in Spanish, Hotel Restaurant and Tourism Management with a concentration in Tourism Management; Dual Minor in International Studies and French, Allentown, Pa.
Commitment: Dorian Santiago, Junior, Dual Major in Communication Studies with a concentration in Speech Communication, and History with a concentration in American & World History; Minor in Spanish, Henryville, Pa.

Voices of Triumph
Academic Achievement: Lia Jones, Senior, Special Education, Cranford, N.J.
Leadership: Karima L. Williams, Senior, Communication Studies with a concentration in Public Relations, Philadelphia, Pa.
Commitment: Khaliah Smith, Senior, Economics; Minor in Business Management, Philadelphia, Pa.

Athletic Awards
Academic Achievement: Robin Stevenson, Freshmen, Athletic Training, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Leadership: Duane Johnson Junior, Sports Management, Lansdowne, Pa., Blair Ramsey, Senior, Business Management, Detroit, Mich.
Commitment: Gerald Bridges Senior, Business Management, Farmington Hills, Mi., Terrance King, Senior, Business Management, Detroit, Mich.

The Office of Multicultural Affairs serves as an advocate and resource for students from diverse cultural backgrounds and coordinates the activities for student organizations representing the interests of these underrepresented groups. In addition, the office supports individuals and groups who seek to develop and implement educational or social programs that promote cultural awareness, and encourages equality, dignity and mutual respect within the campus community. Multicultural Affairs advocates for the implementation of social, cultural and academic programs that support the retention and graduation rates of students of color; develops essential leadership, communication and other socials skills for students of color; and enhances student awareness of diverse cultures and fosters respect for cultural diversity.

For more information about the Multicultural Awards and Recognition Program or the Office of Multicultural Affairs, please contact Cornelia Sewell-Allen, coordinator of multicultural affairs, at 570-422-3896 or by email at csewell@esu.edu.