Nixon To Receive Equal Opportunity Award

4-3-97

University Park, Pa. --- Elisha Nixon, counselor at the Multicultural Resource Center, is the 1997 recipient of Penn State's Equal Opportunity Award. The Equal Opportunity Award recognizes a University faculty or staff member who promotes the concept of equal opportunity through affirmative action and/or contributes to enhancing the educational environment of the University through improving cross-cultural understanding. She will be honored Sunday, April 6, at the Faculty/Staff Awards Program at the Penn State Scanticon Conference Hotel.

Ms. Nixon has been honored for her professional and personal advocacy efforts on behalf of diversity. The Multicultural Resource Center serves more than 3,000 students a year and is dedicated to provide academic and personal counseling to students of color at Penn State. In addition to her regular duties, she has constantly developed and implemented new initiatives such as the MRC student advisory board, the center's participation in Parents Weekend and "Conversations With Faculty."

Her efforts also extended throughout the entire University with the development of a Diversity Health Fair and Unity Days, an annual program started in 1995 to build coalitions through education, awareness and cultural sensitivity. The Unity Days program includes collaborative activities, speakers, and films as well as a "PAWS across Penn State" ceremony across the University Park campus.

Nixon is the co-founder of the African American Community Organization, formed to support area African American children through educational and social activities. The organization also works closely with local school districts in their diversity education efforts. In 1993, she created a Saturday afternoon tutoring program for State College children, titled "Together We Can," with Penn State students as tutors.

The parent of three children, she has pursued a master's degree and is now seeking a doctorate in health education. But she still has found time to plan and participate in special recognition services each year for graduating African American students and their families. She also helped to start a support group for African American women faculty and staff members at the University.

"One of the things that makes Elisha Nixon an exceptional member of our community, is that when she sees a need, she doesn't just talk about it or complain about what others are not doing," said a colleague. "She does something about it. She will make every attempt to address the need."

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Contact: Vicki Fong (814) 865-9481 (office) vyf1@psu.edu