Nasara and Wells-Mangold honored with UW System awards

November 8, 2019 – The University of Wisconsin System recently announced the recipients of awards promoting diversity, equity and inclusion on its campuses, including two honorees from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

Associate Professor of English and Interim Director of the Honors Program Catherine Nasara, of Lake Elmo, Minn., was one of 13 recipients of the 2019 Outstanding Women of Color in Education Award and Assistant Athletic Director Kellen J. Wells-Mangold, of River Falls, was one of 13 recipients of the 2019 Dr. P. B. Poorman Award for Outstanding Achievement on Behalf of LGBTQ+ People presented by the UW System.

Nominations for the awards are submitted by the UW institutions, highlighting the nominee’s contributions to improving the status and climate for women and people of color and to advancing the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion for LGBTQ+ people.

Nominators lauded Nasara for providing both insight and challenge to her students, inviting them to think more deeply about literature and culture, race and gender and the strategies and texts that future teachers will use in their own classrooms. 

Similarly, Wells-Mangold stood out to nominators as an advocate and ally for all underrepresented populations, the LGBTQ+ community in particular. One of his most recent contributions has been the creation of a new policy for the inclusion of transgender athletes. Formally implemented in 2018, the policy was one of the first in the WIAC Conference and has been used as a model by other campuses.

“Dr. Nasara and Kellen are wonderful examples of campus leaders who are committed to supporting the success of all of our students,” said UWRF Chancellor Dean Van Galen. “This recognition of their important contributions to our campus and community is well-deserved.”

The Outstanding Women of Color in Education Award is an annual honor given to faculty, staff, students, or community members to recognize their achievements in advancing equity and inclusion for people of color within the UW System as well as communities across the state. 

The Dr. P. B. Poorman Award for Outstanding Achievement on Behalf of LGBTQ+ People is an annual honor given to LGBTQ+ people or their allies who have helped to create a safer and more inclusive climate for LGBTQ+ people. The award celebrates the memory and legacy of Paula B. Poorman, a highly regarded faculty member at UW-Whitewater who dedicated her life to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ people. 

For more information about the awards, email dina.fassino@uwrf.edu or call 715-425-4306.