Lindenwood University’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion announced the 2024 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Awards during a ceremony February 6 in the A-B Leadership Room in Spellmann Center.

The MLK Jr. Leadership Awards are a collaboration between the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force and the CDI. Each academic year, awards are presented to a faculty member, a staff member, and a student who embody the legacy of Dr. King. This year, Lindenwood added an alumni award.

“The (awards ceremony) was extremely heartwarming and impactful for the DEI Task Force and Lindenwood University as a whole,” DEI Task Force Co-Chair Dr. Chajuana Trawick Ferguson said. “It was truly exciting to see the A-B Leadership Room full of attendees, including our president, senior administrators, deans, faculty, staff, students, families, alumni, and community members.

“There was a real sense of love, support, and belonging in the room, and we were all there to celebrate our winners, each other, and the relaunch of the CDI. I am truly humbled by the great success of this event.”

These awards promote Lindenwood’s commitment to maintaining a diverse campus culture for students, faculty, staff, and alumni. They also bring the Lindenwood community together to support diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Michael Woods ’10 received the Alumni Award. Woods co-founded “Dream Builders 4 Equity,” an organization that promotes creativity, professional development, and a family that will leave a mark on future young leaders of today. Woods is passionate about revitalizing the St. Louis Hyde Park community by sustaining the wealth of home ownership in African Americans and promoting the development of youth by teaching, molding, and encouraging their dreams of greatness.

Professor of Spanish Dr. Gabriela Romero received the Faculty Award. In 2016, she became one of the founding members of the DEI Task Force. She also contributed her time to the Freshman Experience and Academic Diversity subcommittees. In recognition of her DEI work, Romero was invited to join the President’s Advisory Council on DEI. Since 2017, Romero has worked to connect Lindenwood and the local Hispanic community. Romero’s efforts helped Lindenwood become a member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 2020.

International and Graduate Admissions Immigration Specialist Roudina Thomsen received the Staff Award for going above and beyond to assist Lindenwood international students for more than 20 years. Thomsen is an asset to the Lindenwood community by assuring each international student has everything they need.

Aniah Moore received the Student Award for her work on the PRIDE-funded BRIDGing (Building. Relationships. Inclusion. Diversity. Growth.) community-engaged research project with the Webster Groves School District. Moore created an Instagram account with images and posts to highlight the project. She also worked with a fellow Lindenwood student and a Webster Groves High School student to market the project and coordinate a community gallery. Moore serves as a role model for the Lindenwood community through her commitment to DEI and creative storytelling to empower people.

As Lindenwood continues to expand its diverse culture through different events, learn how the University promotes CDI-related efforts and check out different programs and DEI resources that are available.