The Growth, Inclusivity, Voice, and Excellence (GIVE) Award (Women's Council) winners in this inaugural year are Cristina Hernandez (Nidetch Women's Center) and the Libraries' Inclusion and Equity Committee. These award decisions were made based on the nominees' evidence of commitment to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion and evidence that they have made a significant contribution to UNLV's staff, students, and campus environment.
The award was created by the Hiring, Retention, and Assessment Task Force of the Women's Council to recognize diversity initiatives in areas of research, teaching, student services, administration, and community outreach by UNLV-affiliated individuals and programs. The award aims to create a space for people and programs who otherwise would not be recognized and also to encourage diversity initiatives in all levels of UNLV’s leadership. Members of the GIVE Award Committee are Harriet Barlow, Kimberly Kendricks, Janna Bernstein, Melissa Bowles-Terry, Katrina Harris, Mariana Sarmiento, and Emma Frances Bloomfield.
Hernandez until very recently was director of the Jean Nidetch Women's Center and worked there for 12 years. While there, she launched significant initiatives including a peer advocacy program, a 24-hour hotline, the CARE survivor fund, and a variety of support systems and resources for staff and students who are parents.
The Libraries' Inclusion and Equity Committee (IEC) was started in 2017 and there is already evidence of its positive impact in UNLV Libraries and the campus community. In addition to providing pronoun badges for Libraries staff, sponsoring workshops and webinars related to diversity and equity issues, collaborating with equity coordinators across campus, and providing resources for students, the IEC also has launched an ambitious three-pronged task force initiative to address diversity in hiring and recruitment. The members of the Libraries' IEC are Avery Boddie, James Cheng, Brittany Fiedler, Michaelyn Haslam, Edi Martinez-Flores, Thomas Padilla, Claytee White, Annette Day, Kelsey George, Huston Green, Amanda Melilli, Courtney Brombosz, Kelsey Mazmanyan, Sue Wainscott, Eva Luna, Kee Choi, Stormye Hendrix, Amy Tureen, and Heidi Johnson.
