Excellence in Equity Award

The Excellence in Equity Awards aim to recognize and celebrate current students, faculty, staff, and administrators who demonstrate a commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, access, antiracism, leadership, and social justice.

Purpose: Recognizes individuals who serve as leaders through their active participation and contributions to make Montgomery College and/or their local community more inclusive by creating an environment where all individuals are valued, respected, and feel that they belong and matter.

Award Distribution: A total of nine awards will be given:

• One full-time faculty member
• One part-time faculty member
• Two staff members
• One administrator
• One student from each campus including Workforce Development and Continuing Education (WDCE)

Eligibility

General Requirements:

• Students must be currently enrolled at the College on a full or part-time basis
• Full-time and part-time faculty and staff must be currently employed by the College

Criteria (must meet two or more):

• Promote social justice, equity, and inclusion as an advocate, teacher, or learner
• Participate in, develop, and promote programs or events that support equity awareness and intercultural engagement efforts
• Exhibit a high level of commitment to equity through service, teaching, or scholarship
• Serve as an advocate for the interests of underrepresented populations
• Display commitment to valuing equity and inclusion above and beyond assigned job responsibilities

Key Definitions

Inclusion: The active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with diversity—in people, in the curriculum, in the co-curriculum, and in communities (intellectual, social, cultural, geographical) with which individuals might connect—in ways that increase one's awareness, content knowledge, cognitive sophistication, and empathic understanding of the complex ways individuals interact within (and change) systems and institutions.

Diversity: Individual differences (e.g., personality, language, learning styles and life experiences) and group-social differences (e.g., race, ethnicity, class, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, disability, country of origin, and ability status as well as cultural, political, religious or other affiliations) that can be engaged in the service of learning.

Equity:

• Student focus: The creation of opportunities and intentional design of the college experience for each student, particularly historically underserved populations to ensure, preserve participation in, and provide equal access to educational programs that are capable of closing the achievement gaps in student success and completion.
• Employee focus: The creation of opportunities for historically underserved populations of employees (faculty and staff) to have equal access to professional growth opportunities and resource networks that are capable of closing the demographic disparities in leadership roles in all spheres of institutional functioning.

Access: Convenience, affordable, proximity, provide equal opportunities for persons with disabilities to all aspects of campus life, non-selective, local postsecondary, multiple pathways to the College.

Anti-Racism: The work of actively opposing racism by advocating for changes in political, economic and social life.

Social Justice: A concept of fair and just relations between the individual and society, measured by the distribution of wealth, opportunities for personal activity, and social privileges. Includes the process of ensuring that individuals fulfill their societal roles and receive what was their due from society, breaking barriers for social mobility, creation of safety nets, and economic justice.

Historically Underserved or Underrepresented Populations: Include but are not limited to: first-generation, low income, students of color, adult students; marginalized orientations, gender identities, and intersex students; students with second-language backgrounds; undocumented students; veterans; students with disabilities; students with dependents; foster care youth; and formerly and currently incarcerated students.

Policy

See Montgomery College Awards policy for additional details.

Application Process

Employee Nomination:

• Use the Employee Nomination Form to nominate a colleague

Student Nomination:

• Use the Student Nomination Form to nominate a student

Selection Criteria: Nominees must meet two or more of the eligibility criteria listed above.

Award Recognition: Previous winners are recognized on the college website and celebrated during awards ceremonies.