Academics

Adams recognized with Jackson Lethbridge Tolerance Award

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Briana P. Adams, a senior studying communication arts and sciences in the College of the Liberal Arts, is the recipient of the 2016 Jackson Lethbridge Tolerance Award.

The award recognizes a junior, senior or graduate student for outstanding efforts to enhance the understanding of diverse cultures and create a community where all individuals are accepted and valued equally. The award is named for its benefactor, a Penn State alumnus.

Adams, who describes her college experience as “life-changing,” said Penn State “trusted me into numerous leadership roles.” As president of the Multicultural Undergraduate Law Association, Adams assisted interested diverse pre-law students in preparing for law school through mentorship, programs and workshops. In 2014, she launched the first pre-law symposium focused on applying to law school.

As a member of the Presidential Leadership Academy, Adams was instrumental in crafting policy that bridged the gap between international and domestic students.

At “Justice for Jim Crow’s Children,” a program Adams organized in 2013, a Penn State alum who is now an attorney educated students on the lingering effects of the Jim Crow era.

At the Paterno Fellows Advisory Board, she tackled tough topics including preservation of the Paterno name, selecting a new Barry director and assisting with the development of the Special Living Option, which links students who share common interests.

“I have gotten to know Briana as a member of the Presidential Leadership Academy,” said a nominator. “Through the academy, select students develop leadership fundamentals to thrive in an environment in which multiple dimensions of an issue are explored, diverse viewpoints are welcomed and a fully informed and respectful discourse leads to action.

"What I admire most about Briana is her self-determination and dedication, not only to her schoolwork, but to the Penn State community,” the nominator added.

Last Updated April 29, 2016