Indiana University’s Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (OVPDEI) is pleased to announce that Charles E. Sykes is the 2024 Gerry Gunnings Stroman Distinguished Inclusive Excellence Award recipient.
The award is designed to recognize individuals who actively promote diversity and inclusive excellence and dedicate themselves to making Indiana University a diverse, multicultural academic community that serves as a model for higher education, the state of Indiana and society at large. This recognition is given at the discretion of the vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion to those who truly distinguish themselves as advocates of diversity and inclusion.
Previous recipients include Michael A. McRobbie, university chancellor, president emeritus and university professor; Charlie Nelms, former vice president for institutional development and student affairs and chancellor of IU East; and Edwin C. Marshall, former vice president for diversity, equity and multicultural affairs, among others.
Sykes, who has served as executive director of the African American Arts Institute (AAAI) at Indiana University for 34 years, received the award on Saturday, May 18, at his retirement celebration. This award is a testament to his lifelong commitment to diversity and inclusion and is a fitting culmination of his remarkable career at IU.
“I can think of no individual more deserving of this honor than Charles Sykes,” says James C. Wimbush, Indiana University's former vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion and Johnson Chair for Diversity and Leadership. “The AAAI is a critical part of what makes Indiana University such a unique and special place. Charles represents the kind of individual who exemplifies inclusion in all his work.
“Under his leadership and mentoring, countless students have been given the opportunity to pursue their academic, musical and professional talents. He leaves an indelible legacy at IU. All of us are better off because of his influence and contributions,” Wimbush notes.
Titled initially the OVPDEMA Distinguished Inclusive Excellence Award, the award was renamed to honor its inaugural recipient, Gerry Stroman, who passed away in 2021. Stroman served as the former IU Kokomo chief of staff, assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs and affirmative action officer.
A Legacy of Service
Sykes began his career at IU as a graduate student in the Jacobs School of Music and a technical supervisor and horn coach for the AAAI Soul Revue. He went on to serve as executive director of multicultural initiatives, overseeing the Bloomington campus culture centers, and executive director of AAAI, overseeing the institute's mission to preserve and promote African American culture through performance, education, creative activity, research and outreach.
In this role, Sykes managed the institute's three ensembles offered as courses through IU’s Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies: the African American Choral Ensemble, the African American Dance Company and the IU Soul Revue, as well as AAAI pre-college programs and recordings through AAAI Records.
In addition, Sykes served as an affiliate faculty member in African American and African Diaspora Studies and Folklore and Ethnomusicology.
As a Black music scholar, he also developed what is generally considered the first collegiate course on the history of Motown Records, published numerous articles, and lectured nationally and internationally.
Sykes was honored with the AADS William Williams Faculty Award “For Support of Teaching in AAADS” in 2017 and the IU Bicentennial Award in 2019 for his work in digitizing and archiving AAAI’s photo collection.
When he received the 2024 Gerry Gunnings Stroman Distinguished Inclusive Excellence Award, Sykes reflected on his career and the future.
“I am deeply honored to be the recipient of this prestigious award. As an educator, I have long believed that every student, regardless of their background, should be given the opportunity to find their path toward success, and I’ve dedicated my career to that cause. As a member of the diverse community in which we live and work, I’ve tried to use the performing arts to help others understand that we are all important, have something to offer society, and deserve joy and respect,” says Sykes.
Throughout his professional career, Sykes has collected hundreds of stories regarding the history of the AAAI, including working directly with the organization’s founder, Herman C. Hudson. As one of the few institute historians, he will continue working with the AAAI in a limited capacity to document and tell its history during the upcoming 50th anniversary celebrations for the African American Arts Institute and African American Dance Company in 2024-2025 and the African American Choral Ensemble in 2025-2026.