The UCI Dynamic Womxn Awards event celebrates and honors the incredible womxn who are leaders and role models actively making a difference in our community. This is a one of a kind celebration focuses on the womxn who inspire us to take action and to fight for causes we believe in.
2024 Awardees
Academic Achievement Award
Kathleen Leon Parada, School of Biological Sciences – Graduate Student
Anneeth Kaur Hundle, School of Social Sciences –Associate Professor
Ally Award
Luis Angel Fuentes, Dream Center–Staff
Outstanding Social Justice Activist Award
Kathleen Johnson, School of Physical Sciences –Faculty
Brianna Ramirez, Newkirk Center for Science and Society –Staff
Veronica Gonzalez, School of Social Ecology – Graduate Student
Saleena Dhakal, School of Social Sciences –Undergraduate Student
Committee Spotlight Award
Darlene Esparza, Campus Organizations & Volunteer Programs – Staff
Tamara Austin Legacy Award
Betsy Latimore, Family Resource Center – Staff
Dynamic Womxn of the Year
Francesca Fong, School of Social Ecology – Undergraduate Student
Daisy Kamp, Samueli School of Engineering – Graduate Student
Julie Ferguson, School of Physcial Sciences – Faculty
Lisa Shulman, Paul Merage School of Business – Staff
Award Categories
Please note that certain award categories are only open to specific UCI Affiliations (e.g. undergraduate, graduate, faculty, and staff).
- Academic Achievement Award – This award honors individuals who have contributed academic research that advances knowledge, narratives and/or pedagogy that elevate womxn’s and BIWOC issues in their field, major, or community.
This category is open to faculty, undergraduate and graduate students.
- Ally Award – This award honors non-womxn individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to creating a space to advance womxn on campus by breaking down barriers for advancing womxn’s voices, role, and presence at different levels of the UCI campus. Examples can include BIWOC study spaces, scholarships for grad students, professional development/training/mentorship for the advancement of womxn, etc.
This category is open to non-womxn undergraduate and graduate students, staff, faculty, and administrators.
- Dynamic Womxn of the Year Award – This award honors individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to the personal growth and success of womxn, through education, research, community building, and/or volunteer service, that is above and beyond their expected responsibilities. This award recognizes an individual’s significant contribution to the UCI community that may often go unnoticed or under-appreciated.
This category is open to undergraduate and graduate students, staff, faculty, and administrators.
- Outstanding Social Justice Activist Award – This award honors individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to working on anti-sexist and anti-racist endeavors and who have drawn connections between various communities to end multiple forms of oppression on the UCI campus. Including but not limited to dismantling ableism, anti-black racism, heterosexism, classism, xenophobia, and ageism.
This category is open to undergraduate and graduate students, staff, faculty, and administrators.
- Tamara Austin Legacy Award – This award recognizes an individual staff member whose impact creates a legacy that will be known and felt for generations to come. Honoring Tamara Austin, the Womxn’s Hub inaugural Director, this award celebrates a staff member who has exemplified leadership and advocacy for womxn on campus. Nominees should be a current UCI Staff member and demonstrate dedication to equity on our campus and have been a part of the UCI community for a minimum of 5 years.
This award is only open to UCI staff.
- Committee Spotlight Award: Oftentimes in the review of the award nominations, there is an overwhelmingly amount of nominations within a category and within one affiliation (staff/faculty/student). The committee has the opportunity to select a spotlight award to honor and celebrate an individual in an award category and affiliation that has equally compelling narratives and experiences for selection or a tie in rubric scores.