UAlbany Announces Winners of Inclusive Excellence Awards

Students gather at fountain

By Amy Geduldig

ALBANY, N.Y. (Jan. 28, 2025) — Building on its award-winning support for a diverse campus community, the University at Albany announced the winners of its Inclusive Excellence Awards, hosted by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The annual initiative funds faculty and staff-led programs that strengthen, promote, and embrace a vibrant and inclusive environment at the University.

Seven innovative projects were selected this year to receive awards of up to $4,000 and include initiatives highlighting cultural perspectives, educational workshops that support research and that raise awareness about the University community.

“As one of the most diverse public research universities in the country, UAlbany has a strong commitment to enhancing opportunities for collaboration, dialogue and creativity among our campus community,” said Samuel Caldwell, vice president of inclusive excellence and equity and chief diversity officer. “For over 10 years, our Inclusive Excellence Awards have celebrated the expertise and ingenuity of our faculty, staff and students, allowing us all to learn from their incredible knowledge and experience. I am looking forward to a wonderful year of programs from our award-winners and excited for what they will accomplish for our UAlbany family.”

The 2024-2025 Inclusive Excellence Award recipients are:

  • Fostering a Gender-Affirming Dialogue: Workshops and Keynote by Rumi Coller-Takahashi, Writing and Critical Inquiry — This writing and critical inquiry program builds on previous efforts to create an inclusive space for transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse communities by hosting workshops and a keynote address on the intersection of gender, sexuality, and race.
  • Granting Access: Cultivating Inclusivity in Research Grant Writing by Jay Bloom, Office of Strategic Initiatives — A series of workshops that focus on promoting equity and inclusivity in the research grant development process, designed to dismantle systemic barriers and recruit underrepresented faculty.
  • Dancing, Discussing, and Furthering Excellence, Inclusiveness, and Diversity by Camelia Lenart, Department of History — An opportunity for students to come together to create collective dance and discussions on diversity and inclusion, led by UAlbany’s Dance Council and in collaboration with elementary school students.
  • Reimagining Justice: A Talk with Djamila Ribeiro by Tassiana Moura de Oliveira, Department of Political Science — This event will provide an opportunity for the UAlbany community to engage in critical conversations about race, gender, and social justice through the lens of Black feminist thought, led by renowned Brazilian intellectual Djamila Ribeiro.
  • Understanding Our Community Café by Jill Haskell, Office of Human Resources — Workshops and virtual check-ins designed by staff from the University’s Human Resources Department, campus employees will engage in inclusive conversations about service delivery and support for diverse higher education populations.
  • Climate Outreach Gathering (COG+) by Emily Feuer, Division of Finance and Administration — COG+ will bring together UAlbany members dedicated to diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice (DEIBJ) to share best practices, lessons learned, and strategies for promoting inclusive excellence across campus.
  • We Came to Heal: Transformative Justice and the Carceral System  by Alejandra Bronfman, Department of Africana, Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies — Hosted by UAlbany NAACP and the UAlbany South American Students' Association, the program will feature a film screening and post-film workshop, which will examine mass incarceration, systemic racism, and the impact of restorative justice, with an emphasis on healing and transformation.

The Inclusive Excellence program (formerly known as the Diversity Transformation Awards) was established during the 2012-2013 academic year. After a competitive review process, the award selection committee —which included campus representatives and students—determined the seven winners that would have the most impact towards advancing the University’s mission of inclusive excellence. More information about the awards is available here.

The University has garnered national recognition for its diverse and inclusive campus and as an R1 institution, is committed to improving opportunities for underrepresented students and future professionals. This year, UAlbany received its seventh consecutive Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, which recognizes U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.

In addition to being ranked a top school for raising the social mobility of its students by U. S. News & World Report, the Wall Street Journal, and Washington Monthly —UAlbany was also named an Emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution, and received the prestigious Seal of Excelencia, awarded by educational nonprofit Excelencia in Education, which certified the University’s commitment to ensuring that Latina and Latino students are supported and thriving academically. The University also earned a 5-star rating from Campus Pride Index, a national assessment tool that assists colleges and universities in creating safer, more inclusive campus communities for LGBTQ+ people and was the first SUNY campus to achieve the coveted honor. was also noted this year