MADISON- The University of Wisconsin System has announced the 17 winners of the 2005 Outstanding Women of Color in Education Award, an annual honor given to students, faculty and staff to recognize their contributions to diversity and the status of women within the UW System.

The 10th annual Outstanding Women of Color in Education Awards will be presented Saturday, April 16, during a ceremony at the UW System Annual Women’s Studies Conference. The award and the events are jointly sponsored by the UW System Women’s Studies Consortium, and the Offices of Academic Diversity and Development, and Women’s Issues.

“This award honors the diverse and profound contributions of outstanding women of color throughout the UW System,” said UW System President Kevin P. Reilly. “In working for positive change, these dedicated women immeasurably enhance our campus communities, and the experiences of our students and staff.”

UW institutions submit nominations for the awards, which highlight each recipient’s contributions to diversity, women’s studies scholarship or activism, or to improving the status and climate for women, particularly women of color.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Outstanding Women of Color in Education awards, previous recipients have been invited to participate in the conference and awards ceremony. More than 170 women have received the award since it was established in 1994.

“Our university has been improved by so many women of color who have shared their understanding of family, community, and culture, along with their outstanding work in their fields. This is a wonderful opportunity to publicly honor their efforts,” said Helen Klebesadel, director of the UW System Women’s Studies Consortium.

“They are models of the UW System’s commitment to educational excellence through diversity,” she continued.

The 2005 Outstanding Women of Color in Education honorees are:

  • Mary Louise Edwards, UW Colleges;
  • Rose-Marie Avin, UW-Eau Claire;
  • Pa Vang, UW- Extension;
  • Rosemary Christensen, UW-Green Bay ;
  • Enilda Delgado, UW-La Crosse;
  • Linda D (LD) Oakley, UW-Madison;
  • Joanne Pritchett, UW-Madison;
  • Pamela Clark, UW-Milwaukee;
  • Arcetta Butler-Krohn, UW-Oshkosh;
  • Shauna Hodges, UW-Parkside;
  • Fahmida Masoom, UW-Platteville;
  • Myser Yang, UW-River Falls;
  • Mai Vang, UW-Stevens Point;
  • Hollace Anne Teuber, UW-Stout;
  • Zoey ‘Zuag’ Hurr, UW-Superior;
  • Marion Brown, UW System; and
  • Maria G. Castillo, UW-Whitewater.

Media Contact

Helen Klebesadel (608) 262-3056 hklebesadel@uwsa.edu