About the DCA's
For over twenty years, the Diversity Catalyst Awards honor faculty, staff, students, programs, departments, and student organizations who have engaged in D.E.I. initiatives during the previous academic year, promoting the development of an inclusive and diverse campus community.
The University of Iowa's commitment to a welcoming and inclusive campus is embedded in policy, practices, values, and mission. The Diversity Catalyst Award recognizes the excellence, innovative and distinctive inclusion efforts of campus constituents.
We welcome all U.I. community members to nominate their peers for this prestigious award and encourage department administrators to consider nominating those in their unit who have received other diversity awards over the past year.
The 2021 DCA Catalyst Awards
Transcript from Celebration
Opening Remarks
Liz Tovar
Executive Officer and Associate Vice President
Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Program
Keynote Address
Harriet Nembhard
Dean, College of Engineering
Roy J. Carver Professor of Engineering
Professor of Industrial Engineering
2021 Alliant Energy & Erroll B. Davis Jr. Achievement Award
Karen Ruby Devora Cigarroa
College of Engineering, Iowa State University
Major: Civil Engineering
Minor: Entrepreneurship
Karen is a first-generation student studying Civil Engineering at Iowa State University, where she is also a Community Advisor for Helser Hall, Peer Mentor for the LEAD Learning community, Multicultural Greek Council exec member, and a proud member of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Inc. Her passion for engineering started in high school when she participated in the Dallas Mayor’s Intern Fellows Program and has grown since then through other internship experiences.
Hieu Nguyen
College of Engineering, the University of Iowa
Major: Industrial Engineering
Minor: Business Administration
Born in Vietnam, Hieu grew up in Coralville, Iowa, for most of his life. While he is an industrial engineer, he hopes to use his technical background in a business-oriented environment. He will be interning at Goldman Sachs this summer in their NYC headquarters. In the future, he plans to transition to an international career where he can also further pursue his charity efforts in Vietnam.
Maria Luz Alcala
Tippie College of Business, the University of Iowa
Major: Human Resource Management and Business Analytics
Certificates: International Business and Leadership Studies
Luz Alcala is studying HR Management and Business Analytics at the Tippie College of Business. She is passionate about DEI initiatives and serves as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Ambassador for the Tippie College of Business. Luz is president of MBSA, a mentor and coordinator for the BizEdge program, a peer leader for the Iowa Edge program, and a dedicated Lambda Theta Nu Sorority sister, Inc.
Linnea Dawley
College of Engineering, Iowa State University
Major: Chemical Engineering
Minor: Sustainability
Linnea is a 4th-year student at Iowa State University studying chemical engineering and sustainability. She wants to go into the oil and gas industry and use her education and passion for sustainability to find ways to be more sustainable in this industry. Outside of academics, Linnea holds leadership positions in several clubs and works for the College of Engineering.
2021 Seed Grant Recipients
Translating Collection Guides into Chinese (Traditional or Simplified)
This effort aims to translate the most popular collection guides from the University of Iowa's Special Collections and University Archives into Chinese. Also known as finding aids, collection guides are the online gateway to the Special Collections’ manuscript collections. They inform patrons of the contents of the collections to assist them with their research and scholarly needs. Currently, Special Collection’s finding aids are only listed in English, and by translating these guides into Chinese, we aim to help bridge any language barriers that continue to occur in our department with our Chinese patrons, especially international students enrolled at the University of Iowa, therefore creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment.
Lindsay Moen Public Services Librarian, University of Iowa Special Collections and Archives
Jenna Silver Baustian Processing Coordinator Archivist, University of Iowa Special Collections and Archives
Surveying Louis Scarborough
Louis Scarborough was a Black animator, character designer, and storyboard artist who was active from the late 1970′s through the 1990′s. His collection, now at the University of Iowa Special Collections and University Archives, will be inventoried to prepare archival processing and description of the materials. This project will result in another collection from a historically underrepresented voice accessible, available, and represented in a field where their voices are often left out.
Jenna Silver Baustian Processing Coordinator Archivist, University of Iowa Special Collections and Archives
Lindsay Moen Public Services Librarian, University of Iowa Special Collections and Archives
Student Legal Services Immigration Consultation Program
This initiative aims to provide free, high-quality legal advice to students on immigration issues to ease the stress and distraction these legal concerns can cause. Licensed attorneys will provide legal consultations on issues including, but not limited to, family-based immigration, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and F-1 visa restrictions.
Amanda Elkins Director and Attorney, Student Legal Services
Rachel Howell Office Manager, Student Legal Services
Alyssa Pomponio Attorney, Student Legal Services
Jessica Malott Malott Law, PLC
2020-2021 B.U.I.L.D. Certificates
See the faculty and staff who have earned their B.U.I.L.D. Certificates