When recognizing the winners of Case Western Reserve University’s Diversity Achievement Awards, Vice President Robert Solomon made another announcement: The Office for Inclusion, Diversity and Equal Opportunity would officially change its name.
The new name—the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusive Engagement—is “more reflective of our proactive work, which enlivens our community, culture, climate and curriculum,” Solomon said. The office previously went by the initialism “OIDEO;” moving forward, this is a practice Solomon and his team want to avoid, instead encouraging others to say the words and “think critically about our values of diversity, equity and inclusion.”
Much of the office’s focus has shifted since Solomon took the helm in 2020. Now, the Office of Equity handles investigations and compliance-related matters, and Solomon’s team instead focuses on the “richness of diversity in the broadest sense,” he said. “We strive for equity among all members of our community and embrace inclusiveness, which motivates us to be engaged with one another in authentic and genuine ways.”
One such example? That evening’s annual diversity awards event, which recognized and celebrated individuals and organizations across Case Western Reserve that promote diversity and inclusion.
This year’s winners were:
- Undergraduate Student Diversity Excellence Award: Aja Leatherwood
- Graduate/Professional Student Diversity Excellence Award: Christopher Rhoades
- Staff Diversity Excellence Award: Malana C. Bey
- Faculty Diversity Excellence Award: Ann W. Nguyen
- Department/Office/Unit Diversity Excellence Award: University Technology – [U]Tech
- Senior Leadership Diversity Excellence Award: Monica Yepes-Rios, MD
- Collaboration Diversity Excellence Award: Student Affairs DEI Committee
- Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive Engagement Excellence Award: Lou Stark
Learn more about the event, award categories and previous award winners and about the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusive Engagement.