The Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs (OVPDEMA) is excited to announce the 2020-2021 recipients of the OVPDEMA scholarships, which recognize student excellence across cultural and academic centers as well as showcase the intersection of philanthropy and student diversity at Indiana University.
"OVPDEMA scholars are representative of what makes the IU community so special,” said James Wimbush, vice president for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs, dean of The University Graduate School, and Johnson Chair for Diversity and Leadership. “Whether they are new recipients or have had their scholarships renewed, our students continue to bring diversity and knowledge to our university. Each of these students has achieved a level of success and excellence that will push them one step closer towards their goals.”
Audrey Boudreau, senior majoring in political science and economics at Indiana University Bloomington, is the inaugural recipient of the Hannah Wilson Memorial Scholarship. Awarded to an IU Bloomington student who is pursuing a career in Counseling, Sexual Health, Psychology, or a field dedicated to helping others, have demonstrated a passion for supporting the LGBTQ+ community, volunteer regularly at the LGBTQ+ Culture Center, and are involved in extracurricular activities.
“After reading the description for the scholarship, I immediately felt connected to Hannah's legacy,” Boudreau said. “Her devotion to LGBTQ+ advocacy and her passion for service is a testimony to the student and person she was, and I only hope that I can emulate those same qualities during my time at IU. Hannah's plans to pursue a career in counseling for the LGBTQ+ community resonated with me, as I plan to pursue a career in law with the hopes of representing the rights of minority populations. Ultimately, the similarities between Hannah and myself influenced my decision to apply for this scholarship, and I couldn't be more humbled in receiving it.”
Another LGBTQ+ scholarship, the James D. Fielding Student Advocate Training, is on-going and supports travel to attend leadership development events related to LGBTQ+ issues, or support the development of IU-based workshops and advocacy training for IU Bloomington students.
The Won Joon Yoon scholarship, which is open to both undergraduate and graduate students, was awarded this year to two IU Bloomington students whose academic, professional, and personal accomplishments and goals exhibit tolerance, understanding, and commitment to service. The Won Joon Yoon scholarship committee consists of diversity and inclusion partners across the IU Bloomington campus.
For the 2020-2021 year, the Won Joon Yoon scholarship has been awarded to third-year history doctoral student and former Hudson and Holland scholar Sydney-Paige Patterson and junior Isaak Spain who is majoring in linguistics and central Eurasian studies. Sydney-Paige will use the scholarship for her summer dissertation research. Isaak will be using his scholarship to fund his capstone year in Azerbaijan through the Turkish Flagship Program.
Some scholarships, like the Carrie Parker Taylor Scholarship, require a student to be a member of an OVPDEMA program for consideration (such as 21st Century, FASE, Groups Scholars Program, or Hudson and Holland Scholars Program). This scholarship is named after the first African American woman to attend IU and seeks to support students who are persisting despite being faced with tremendous obstacles.
Andrea Garcia-Estrada, a junior studying psychological and brain sciences to earn a doctor of psychology title, is the 2020-2021 recipient of this scholarship and very grateful for the opportunity. “The scholarship spoke to me because it was for high-achieving and first-generation students. This is a great opportunity from a great department.”
Shawn Beeler, a sophomore majoring in neuroscience and the other recipient of the Carrie Parker Taylor Scholarship, is thankful for the scholarship as it eases some financial burden due to family medical expenses. His career goal is to become a surgical anesthesiologist. “Receiving the Carrie Parker Taylor Scholarship helps me take a step closer to my educational goals. It also imprints in my mind that helping others and leaving something for someone else is very important in achieving intimate success.”
Additionally, the generosity of IU alumni like Joon Park makes it possible to support diverse student success as the cornerstone of inclusive excellence at Indiana University. Joon Park (BA’98), an active student leader whose advocacy lead to the establishment of the Asian Culture Center, continues to make a difference by supporting students through the Joon Park Student Leadership Scholarship.
The Johnson family generosity of spirit and commitment to investing in inclusive excellence makes possible the Johnson Underrepresented Student Scholarship. This scholarship, open university-wide to undergraduate and graduate students, is designed to support Indiana residents and particularly graduates from Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS). Awarded for the first time in fall 2019, applications for 2020-21 are currently in review, with recipients announced before June 30, 2020.
Previous recipients, freshmen Kynton Grays and senior IU Indianapolis student Omari Robinson, hope to one day “pay it back” following in the footsteps of founder Lacy Johnson. According to Johnson, “our true humanity is revealed in what we are willing to share with folks we may never meet.”
"The Johnson Scholarship has been very instrumental providing financial assistance to help fund my education,” Grays said. “The amount of support received keeps me motivated and helps push me to strive to be the best I can be."
“The Johnson Scholarship inspired me to help others in the future because many times as a person from a diverse background you believe that the world wants you to fail but through receiving this scholarship, it showed that people want you to succeed,” Robinson said.
Fall 2019, spring 2020, and academic year 2020-21 OVPDEMA scholars include:
- Access to Excellence Scholarship
Spring 2020
Alexis Beverly
Senior, Psychology
Corey Boatner
Senior, Dance
Jaylen Ray
Senior, Dance
Destiny Walton
Sophomore, Undecided - Carrie Parker Taylor Scholarship
2020-21
Shawn Beeler
Sophomore, Neuroscience
Andrea Garcia-Estrada
Junior, Psychology - Hannah Wilson Memorial Service Scholarship
2020-21
Audrey Boudreau
Senior, Political Science and Economics - James D. Fielding Student Advocacy and Leadership Travel Scholarship
Spring 2020
Brandon Merritt
Graduate Student, Speech and Hearing Sciences - Wilma A and Charles E Harry, IV Family Scholarship
2020-21
Faith Girton
Senior, Psychological and Brain Sciences
Kadiatou Diallo
Senior, Computer Science and Engineering - Jeffrey Haynes Hillis LGBTQ+ Scholarship
2020-21
Austen Ott
Senior, College of Arts and Sciences - Judy and Inez Reece LGBTQ+ Wellness Scholarship
*Renewing Scholarship for 2020-21
Matt Rasnic
Senior, Journalism - Johnson Underrepresented Student Scholarship
2019-20
Kynton Grays
Sophomore, Chemistry
Omari Robinson
Senior, Economics
Diamond Turner
Senior, Nursing
*Renewing Scholarship for 2020-21
Nicole Taylor
Sophomore, Marketing - Joon Park Student Leadership Scholarship
Spring 2020 Selection
Jenni Thang
Junior, Psychology - Reverend Dr. Ernest D. Butler Humanitarian Scholarship
*Renewing Scholarships
2020-21
Justin Ehlers
Freshman, Management
Jordan Lynton
Graduate Student, Anthropology
Stephanie Mokube
Freshman, Political Science
Jelena Nguyen
Sophomore, Computer Science - Won-Joon Yoon Scholarship
Spring – Summer 2020
Sydney-Paige Patterson
Doctoral student, History
Isaak Spain
Senior, Linguistics
For more information on OVPDEMA scholarships, visit the OVPDEMA website.