Diversity award to grad school leader

Long-time faculty member Steven R. Burkett, who will retire in May, has been selected to receive WSU’s 2009 Faculty Diversity Award. 

 

First arriving at the university in 1969 to teach sociology, Burkett in 1984 joined the Graduate School Office, where he is associate dean. One of his roles is to help WSU diversify its graduate student population — a task that takes him around the country to visit with students at colleges and universities.

 

His recruitment work has paid big dividends. For example, between 2005 and 2008, minority applications to attend graduate school at WSU increased from 10 to 16 percent and the number admitted to WSU rose from 9 to 13 percent.

 

Among many accomplishments, Burkett brought the Ronald E. McNair Achievement Program to WSU in 1999. This federally funded program helps students of color prepare for graduate school.

 

Burkett was recognized Jan. 15 at WSU’s Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. He will receive the award formally during the Showcase celebration dinner March 27. This is the second year WSU has bestowed the Faculty Diversity Award and the first year it has been part of Showcase.

 

Abstract deadline Jan. 30
The deadline to submit an abstract for the 2009 Academic Showcase is Friday, Jan. 30.
Online registration for all other March 27 Showcase events will open Feb. 6 and close March 13.

 

 WSU faculty, staff and students are invited to submit abstracts describing their original scholarship, research or artistic expression for possible display.
For more information, go ONLINE @ www.showcase.wsu.edu.