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Tuesday, May 4, 2010

The Riley Institute at Furman presented the sixth annual Upstate Diversity Leadership Awards Dinner on Tuesday, May 4, 2010 at the Spartanburg Marriott Hotel at Renaissance Park. Presented by Spartanburg Regional, the event was hosted by the Riley Institute at Furman, the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce, the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Greenville Chamber. Over 500 Diversity Leaders Initiative (DLI) alumni and other community members were in attendance.

This year’s special guest speaker was Michelle Asha Cooper, Ph.D., president of the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP). While leading one of the world’s premier research and policy centers, she oversees the organization’s expansive research portfolio and innovative programmatic activities focusing on access and success, accountability, diversity, finance, and global impact. In September 2008, Cooper became the second IHEP president who is responsible for developing new ideas and strategic approaches that help low-income, minority, and other historically underrepresented student populations gain access to and achieve success in postsecondary education.

A native of Charleston, S.C., Cooper received her B.A. from the College of Charleston, a M.P.S. from Cornell University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park. For her complete biography, click here. Cooper’s speech provided sound advice for businesses and organizations to change the course of education (local, state, national and international) and become agents of change in our society.

Awards were presented to recognize three individuals and three organizations for their outstanding achievement in promoting diversity in the Upstate.

2010 Award Winners:

  • Calder D. Ehrmann Outstanding Individual: Juana Slade, Director of Diversity and Language Services at AnMed Health. (award sponsored by Juan Johnson Consulting and Facilitating)
  • Outstanding High School Student: Azalia Martinez, a senior at Berea High School (award sponsored by BI-LO, LLC)
  • Outstanding College Student: Jemeka Harris, Furman University (award sponsored by Michelin North America)
  • Outstanding Non-Profit Organization: Call Me MISTER Program (accepted by Dr. Roy Jones; award sponsored by BMW Manufacturing Co.)
  • Outstanding Business: Spartanburg Regional (accepted by Randy Nyp; award sponsored by the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce, the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Greenville Chamber of Commerce)
  • Outstanding Contribution to International Diversity: Patricia Ravenhorst, Director of the South Carolina Immigrant Victims Network (award sponsored by Spartanburg Water)