PULLMAN, Wash. — Three students and a faculty member were honored recently at the 1998 Washington State University Multicultural Student Convocation.
According to Steve Nakata, interim director of the WSU Office of Multicultural Student Services, which sponsored the Oct. 13 event, the award winners are:
— Student Gennia Wellington, a criminal justice and sociology major. She received the MSS “Undergraduate Student of the Year” award. She was praised for being an advocate for students in the greater Palouse region. Her background includes serving as a WSU Student Mentor in the African American Student Center, and president of both the YWCA and the Black Women’s Caucus. A past recipient of the “Woman of Color” award from the Coalition of Women Students, she has been co-chair of the Council of Multicultural Student Presidents and coordinated the 1998 YWCA of WSU Racial Justice Conference. She is a graduate of Edison High School, Fresno, Calif., and the daughter of Peggy Sims and Ronnie Wellington, both of Fresno.
— Student Rosannette Hernandez Rimando, an English and secondary education major. She received the “Multicultural Scholar Award” for academic achievement and the “Multicultural Leadership Award” for involvement and student activism, both from the Council of Multicultural Student Presidents. Each award includes a $250 cash prize. Her background includes being active with the Filipino American Student Association, the National Filipino American Youth Association, and the Washington State Filipino American Student Alliance. A graduate of Bainbridge High School, she is the daughter of Emma and Rodrigo Rimando of Bainbridge Island.
— Student Ellen Lin, who is working on her counseling psychology doctoral degree. She received the MSS “Graduate Student of the Year” award. Former WSU Asian American Pacific Islander Student Center counselor, she received 1996-97 and 1997-98 “Staff of the Year” awards from the WSU Asian Pacific American Student Committee. In being presented the award, she was praised for her continued support of the advancement and development of all WSU students of color. She is the daughter of Yuli Yeh Lin of Bellevue and Steve Lin of Hacieda Heights, Calif.
— Faculty member Colin Beckles, a member of WSU’s Department of Comparative American Cultures. He received the “Faculty/Staff Member of the Year Award,” honoring his commitment to teaching, his sincere concern for the welfare of his students, and his activism in promoting and advancing multicultural issues at the university. At WSU since 1995, his teaching areas of expertise include African American studies, sociology of race and ethnic relations, and qualitative research methods. He is editor of Spokane’s African American Voice newspaper.
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