Each academic year, WICCD recognizes a student who has contributed to WICCD’s mission, generally or specifically, on campus or off. Starting in 2020 we are extending this award to a faculty and staff member as well. Thanks to those of you who submitted nominations for this year’s awards!
This WICCD Annual Award is given to a student, faculty, and staff member who each embody WICCD’s mission in their work–a commitment to women, gender, and sexuality while working to challenge injustices and inequalities of all kinds. Nominees can be any gender and can be submitted by any member of the UMA community, including fellow students, faculty, and staff.
We are proud to announce this year’s awards
Student Award
This year’s student award goes to Alicia Bessey for her continued work to keep Rainbows for UMA alive and to transition this group to Rainbows Across UMA. Alicia hosted two Zoom meetings in May and June that brought us together to discuss: Queer Identities and Families as well as Queering Star Wars. She also transitioned the Rainbows Facebook Page to a Group in order to link it more closely with UMA. Going forward, Rainbows Across UMA will provide community meetings, education, and resources related to gender and sexuality, connecting students, faculty, and staff across all UMA spaces.
Staff Award
This year’s staff award goes to Charlotte MacDonald, specifically for her help in organizing and carrying out the Health Equity Dialogues Series, which convened scholars, community members, and healthcare practitioners to engage with this crucial and timely justice issue. But WICCD would also like to recognize Charlotte for her continuing scholarship and service to UMA.
Faculty Award
The faculty award this year is a joint award to Katherine Weatherford Darling and Valerie Rubinsky for their work on the Health Equity Dialogues series. This series continued on a weekly basis after the COVID-19 crisis caused many other events to be canceled. Each week we were provided with connections to our larger community and the people on the ground working diligently to bring health equity to our most vulnerable populations. This diverse and rich series was informative and inspiring and we look forward to this important UMA staple each spring.
Finally, WICCD would like to thank all of the faculty, staff, and students who work to educate our campus and the larger community about local, national, and international issues, initiatives, and ideas related to gender, sexuality, diversity, and social justice.
About Us
WE ARE WICCD!: Women Invigorating Curriculum and Cultivating Diversity
WICCD honors the diversity that exists in Maine by educating our campus and the larger community about local, national, and international issues, initiatives, and ideas related to diversity. Because women have been historically underrepresented in social, cultural, political, institutional, and economic spheres, WICCD centers women, gender, and sexuality while working to challenge injustices and inequalities of all kinds. Led by faculty and staff who work toward gender equality and social justice, WICCD provides opportunities for education and engagement to raise awareness around these important intersectional social challenges.
For more information, please reach out to Sarah Hentges at sarah.hentges@maine.edu.