Inaugural Community Impact Awards honor mentorship and community building
The April 28 symposium, held in Student Union Memorial Center, included a resource fair, a keynote presentation and a service project.
Employees leading efforts in student mentoring, health care access, food insecurity and other areas were among those honored during the inaugural Community Impact Symposium and Awards, an event designed to foster connection and shared purpose across campus.
Thomas Harris, Senior Director of Learning and Engagement, Office of the Provost
The April 28 symposium, held in the North Ballroom and additional spaces in the Student Union Memorial Center, brought together more than 100 faculty and staff members for a keynote presentation, community conversations, a resource fair and a service project.
"It was an honor to celebrate the Community Impact Award recipients," said Thomas Harris, senior director of learning and engagement in the Office of the Provost. "They have each demonstrated exceptional contributions to community engagement and expanding opportunities for individuals from various backgrounds and experiences on our campus."
Awards were presented to faculty, staff and student honorees, each recognized for their contributions to community building at the university. Each honoree received a plaque and a $500 professional development stipend.
Read more about the winners below.
Nicole Marrone (left), associate professor in the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, receives her Community Impact Faculty Award from Vice Provost Jenna Hatcher.
Community Impact Faculty Award
Nicole Marrone, Associate Professor, Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences
Marrone was recognized for her work as co-creator and co-director of Grad CAFE, a National Science Foundation-funded program that provides holistic support and mentoring to graduate students. The initiative supports students by helping them build skills, navigate the graduate education curriculum and find fellowship with peers across disciplines.
"Grad CAFE is changing the way we support graduate students at the UA and can potentially place UA at the forefront of innovative support of graduate students," a nominator wrote.
Marrone was also cited for her work as principal investigator on a National Institutes of Health-funded project designed to reduce disparities in hearing health care access in rural border communities.
Community Impact Staff Award
Celeste Atkins, Director of Student Engagement and Recruitment, Graduate College
Celeste Atkins (left), director of student engagement and recruitment in the Graduate College, receives her Community Impact Faculty Award from Vice Provost Jenna Hatcher.
In addition to co-creating Grad CAFE, Atkins is the co-creator of Grad SPACE, a program that includes professional development seminars, networking opportunities and social events for graduate students.
One graduate student participant said the program provided a space where she felt safe to share her experiences and thoughts on her educational and career paths.
"Oftentimes as a graduate student, it can be easy to be immersed in research, but this program has provided me the opportunity to network with other graduate students across disciplines and departments," she wrote in her nomination letter. "There was a bridge built to other opportunities on campus that I once did not have access to, and Dr. A has been pivotal in paving this new path."
Community Impact Student Award
Edgar Dominguez, Peer Mentor, College of Engineering
Dominguez was recognized for his work as a peer mentor in the College of Engineering, where he uses his experience as a first-generation student to encourage and support first-year students.
"Edgar invests in others, not just academically, but emotionally, offering encouragement, empathy and support," a nominator wrote. "His mentorship has helped many students feel a sense of belonging and resilience during their transition into engineering programs."
Building community connection
Harris said the symposium will be an annual event held each spring.
"The Community Impact Symposium and Awards brought together over 100 faculty and staff dedicated to creating welcoming spaces for all people, and we want to see that number grow," Harris said. "This will be a yearly tradition where we can have impactful conversations that will lead to meaningful collaborations across the university."
This year's event included a keynote presentation from Arika Wells, executive vice president and chief operating officer for the United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, who spoke about building community through networking and volunteering. Attendees also participated in a service project, donating and organizing care packages of hygiene items for Youth On Their Own, a Tucson nonprofit program that supports youth experiencing homelessness in Pima County.