The Wisconsin Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (WiscAMP) program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is among the recipients of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents’ 2021 Diversity Awards.
These awards recognize individuals and programs that foster access and success for students who are members of historically underrepresented populations. Each recipient is awarded $7,500 to support professional development or continue the program being honored.
“From an impressive pool of nominees, we selected three outstanding awardees for increasing opportunity and making a lasting impact on their UW campus communities,” says Regent Olivia Woodmansee, who chaired the special Regents’ committee to determine the recipients. “We are proud to recognize their exceptional dedication to expanding partnerships that support student success for all student populations.”
Award recipients were selected using the following criteria:
- Sustainable positive impact on equity and diversity, leading to positive institutional change.
- Accountability demonstrated through routine assessment and feedback to promote forward movement on equity and diversity goals.
- Intersections across multiple dimensions of diversity.
- Collaborations with other units, departments, or communities – within the university and beyond.
WiscAMP was established in 2004 with a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to increase the number of students graduating in a STEM discipline (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) who are from an ethnic or racial group that is minoritized in STEM. Led by Gail Coover as its executive director, WiscAMP contributes to the successful recruitment, retention, academic success, and career paths of hundreds of students, sustaining connections across 13 UW System campuses, Wisconsin’s private colleges, and Madison College. Over the past decade, more than 90 Wisconsin small grants and subawards have supported initiatives at every alliance institution, with more than 90 percent of resources going to students. The five-year growth rate in underrepresented minority STEM degrees averaged across participating institutions between 2014 and 2018 was 86 percent compared to 46 percent between 2009 and 2013. This translates into an average of 200 more underrepresented minority students graduating with STEM baccalaureate degrees each year between 2013 and 2018 compared to the previous five years.
The other 2021 award recipients are: Selika Ducksworth-Lawton, professor of history at UW-Eau Claire; and Counseling Services at UW-Eau Claire. The award recipients will be honored on Feb. 5, 2021, in Madison at the next Regents meeting. Other members of the selection committee included Regent Amy Blumenfeld Bogost, Regent Héctor Colón, and Regent Robert Atwell.