Eastridge To Receive Equal Opportunity Award

3-28-96
"Professor Eastridge has demonstrated the highest commitment to those criteria which the Equal Opportunity Award recognizes," says a colleague.

For all of her 30 years at Penn State, Marilyn Eastridge, winner of the 1996 Equal Opportunity Award, has been committed to equal opportunity and has been an advocate for cultural diversity in her department and University-wide. She will receive the award at the Faculty/Staff Awards ceremony at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 31, at the Nittany Lion Inn.

An assistant professor of exercise and sport science, Eastridge has been the chair of the Penn State Commission for Women and a member of its New Agenda Committee; she was chair of the College of Health and Human Development Curriculum Integration Committee and is a current member of its Diversity Committee; she is a current member of the Penn State Commission on Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Equity and chair of its Ad Hoc Committee on Domestic Partner Benefits.

Not only has Eastridge been vocal and visible in working towards eliminating all forms of discrimination, she has supported and been the point person for some of its more controversial elements.

"Much of Marilyn's demonstrated commitment can be seen in her work on women's issues on campus," says a colleague. "But Marilyn's more recent and I think, more profound contribution is her steadfast advocacy for equity for lesbian, gay and bisexual members of the Penn State community."

As chair of her college's Curriculum Integration Committee, Eastridge helped develop a series of workshops for Health and Human Development faculty and staff on the improvement of the classroom climate for diverse students, and the integration of course content on issues related to diversity.

She was instrumental in writing an EOPC grant proposal for hiring a guest African dance artist-in-residence for the Department of Exercise and Sport Science for one semester in 1989. This was the first time an African dance course had been offered at University Park. The course is still going strong six years later and the department hired the instructor after the grant ended.

"It is because of Marilyn's commitment and vision that students from diverse backgrounds and academic areas have experienced the philosophies, traditions, aesthetics, music and dances of the people of Africa and African descent," says the instructor. "Marilyn has clearly demonstrated leadership which strives for the elimination of discrimination and the fostering of greater racial understanding."

"It is hard to find an area of University diversity effort in the past 10 years in which Marilyn has not been involved," says a colleague. "It is highly appropriate for the University to recognize her service and her dedication by giving her this award."

**naw**