Four employees to receive MLK service awards

PULLMAN, Wash. – Four Washington State University employees and a fraternity chapter will receive 2012 Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Awards during WSU’s annual MLK Community Celebration, 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, in the CUB junior ballroom.

 

Clinical associate professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at WSU Spokane, is a dedicated and gifted teacher who has been recognized nationally for her innovative strategies to educate students – including students from diverse backgrounds, according to nominator Ella Ingebret, associate professor in the department.

 

“Her positive energy and deep commitment to be an agent of change radiates into the world of her students,” said Inglebret.

Meredith has devoted much of her life to providing services to children with disabilities and their families. A widely known expert on childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), she has taken her students to places like China and Guatemala to assist children with communication disorders. She plans to return to Guatemala this year as part of the worldwide Hearts in Motion project.

 

Here at home, hundreds of children in elementary school through college have been educated by Meredith and her students on ways they can prevent traumatic brain injury – something commonly treated by speech-language pathologists.

 

Ana Rodriguez-Vivaldi, College of Liberal Arts associate dean, said Meredith’s positive impact is immediate and effective as she works tirelessly to raise awareness of acute social issues. 

 

“In truth, I am in awe of all she does and continues to do every single day to make the lives all around her so much better” Rodriguez-Vivaldi said.

 

Clinical assistant professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at WSU Pullman, shares a similar passion for promoting social justice.

 

Graduate student Bryan Wiggins recalls attending one of Mencke’s classes where students were asked to give a short presentation about someone who had an impact on their field of study. Much to Wiggins’ surprise, Mencke instructed the students to only consider people from underrepresented backgrounds.

 

“When I asked him why he limited the class to focusing on diverse populations, he responded by saying our students learn about people who look like them every day, and it is important for them to learn how other people have made positive contributions to society too,” said Wiggins.

 

Mencke is actively involved in WSU’s student recruitment efforts, often serving as a keynote speaker or workshop presenter for events such as Visionaries Inspiring Black Empowered Students (VIBES), Shaping High School Asian and Pacific Islanders for the next Generation (SHAPING), and the Multicultural Student Services banquet.

 

The former Cougar quarterback said receiving the MLK award helps motivate him to continue this challenging work. 

 

“Having a commitment to social justice is fulfilling but often exhausting,” he said. “This award demonstrates that the march is long, but worth every difficult step.”

 

From the moment Arnold stepped on the WSU Pullman campus in 1991, she has helped students achieve academic and personal success. Once a staff member in the Student Advising and Learning Center, she now serves as retention counselor for the African American Student Center and associate director in Multicultural Student Services.

 

Arnold is credited with designing the STAR Program, which offers personalized guidance and support to students who are struggling with academics. In the African American Student Center she helps students gain “real world” experience in planning and implementing numerous cultural programs. 

 

She is also known for top-notch advising and for reaching out to new students – both domestic and international – through her work with the Alive! new student orientation program and others.

Felicia Gaskins, associate vice president for the Office of Equity and Diversity, said Arnold’s own childhood experiences witnessing racism and discrimination have helped motivate her to become a strong advocate for student success.

“She works to make the African American Center a safe haven where students can think critically, ask questions, discuss issues and feel at home on campus,” said Gaskins.

 

Oviawe is a doctoral candidate in the College of Education whose involvement in social justice extends far beyond Pullman and the Northwest. She established the Grace Foundation in Nigeria, which promotes education and human rights – especially for women and children.

 

She also organizes cultural conferences, such as one that took place last summer when participants visited the Martin Luther King Jr. Center in Atlanta. While working in WSU’s Dean of Students Office, she organized a trip to hurricane-ravaged Galveston Island, Texas, where students helped renovate homes of low-income residents and volunteered at a homeless shelter.

 

As coordinator of V-Day WSU, Oviawe introduced a new program during the 2011 Week Without Violence called the “V-Day Until the Violence Stops Festival.” More than 500 students participated in the activities, along with faculty, staff and community members.

   
“This award makes me feel like my little contributions to the betterment of my local and global communities matter and are worthwhile,” Oviawe said. “It will be a constant reminder for me to continue to imbibe the ideals and principals of MLK and all the other great men and women who have impacted our world in extraordinary ways.”

 

The chapter will receive the award for its outstanding efforts t perpetuate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. In October, fraternity members collected more than $500 for the National Breast Cancer Foundation to fund free mammograms. They also collected food and donations to help support a local food bank.