History
Each Spring, the LGBTQ Center at Montclair State University hosted its annual Pride Awards Ceremony recognizing outstanding individuals for their contributions to the LGBTQ and campus community. This tradition began in 2010 and was known as the “Ally Awards,” with two awards: Student Ally of the Year and Faculty/Staff Ally of the Year. In 2013, the Ceremony became the “Pride Awards” and a third award was introduced: the LGBTQ Trailblazer Award. In 2014, four new awards were added: OUTstanding Campus Partner of the Year, OUTstanding Student Organization of the Year, OUTstanding Peer Educator of the Year, and the Stand OUT Award. In 2016, the LGBTQ Center became part of the Office for Social Justice and Diversity, previously the Office of Equity and Diversity.
In 2019, the Pride Awards evolved into the Inclusive Excellence Awards, to encompass the other three Centers under the Office for Social Justice and Diversity – The Center for Faith and Spirituality, the Multicultural Center, and the Women’s Center. The Inclusive Excellence Awards are an opportunity to recognize members of our campus community for their outstanding contribution to the work of social justice and inclusion.
2021 Inclusive Excellence Awards
Award Categories
- The Inclusive Excellence Awards will be presented to 3 members of our community for the amazing social justice, diversity, and inclusion work they’ve done within and beyond our campus community.
- LGBTQ Trailblazer Award: This queer leadership award is presented to an outstanding LGBTQ-identified student, faculty, or staff member at Montclair State University who, through their dedication, has left their mark on our campus and paved the way for others to follow.
- Multicultural Center Trailblazer Award: This Multicultural Center leadership award is presented to an outstanding student, faculty, or staff member of color at Montclair State University who, through their dedication and work with marginalized or underrepresented groups, has left their mark on our campus and paved the way for others to follow.
- Women’s Center Trailblazer Award: This Women’s Center leadership award is presented to an outstanding student, faculty, or staff member who is woman identified at Montclair State University who, through their dedication and work with and for women identified, has left their mark on our campus and paved the way for others to follow.
- Center for Faith and Spirituality Trailblazer Award: This leadership award is presented to an outstanding student, faculty, or staff member who is a spiritual leader at Montclair State University who, through their dedication and commitment to students in the area of faith and spirituality, has left their mark on our campus and paved the way for others to follow.
- Comm-UNITY Award: The UNITY award is presented to an outstanding matriculated undergraduate or graduate student of color who has made significant contributions to the Multicultural community and MSU community within the past academic year. The UNITY award will acknowledge any person, regardless the gender or sexual identity who possesses Unity, Pride, and an agent of change.
- Empow-HER Award: The Empow-Her Award is presented to an outstanding matriculated undergraduate or graduate woman identified student for their perseverance and social advocacy for women within and beyond our campus community within the past academic year. This award will acknowledge a woman identified student for being an agent of change and for leaving her mark on our campus while paving the way for others to follow.
- Leaders in Service: The Leaders in Service Award is dedicated to the student, staff or faculty that goes above and beyond, positively building the community around them. This person is highly active within a spiritual or faith-based organization (e.g. university club, place of worship, etc.). Leaders in Service are humanitarians actively engaged in bringing awareness to human issues. Not only do they advocate for those less fortunate, but also, provide solutions to injustices through donating time and resources.
- OUTstanding Student, Staff/Faculty Ally of the Year Award: This award is presented to an outstanding matriculated undergraduate or graduate student, staff or faculty who has made significant contributions to the LGBTQ and MSU community within the past academic year.
- StandOUT Award: This award was established in 2014 and is presented to a member of our community for their perseverance and social justice advocacy within and beyond our campus community. Recipients of this award have a long history of activism and advocacy and are agents of change. Organizations, individuals, and families are eligible for this award.
- Peer Educator of the Year Award: Awarded to an outstanding student leader in the Office for Social Justice and Diversity, selected by the staff of the OSJD.