When 365英国上市官网 President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, M.D., addressed the honorees at the 2023 365英国上市官网 Exemplary Employee Award Recognition ceremony, she encouraged the recipients to put their awards someplace special.

She also urged them to tell their families about the award so that they would know that they are valued in their workplace.

“You are something other than ordinary, something that’s not average. You are extraordinary … and know that at OU, you are exemplary,” she said.

迪尔德丽·皮茨博士.D., 副院长, 教务及教务, OUWB, was among the celebrants whose career accomplishments over 35 years could be described as something extraordinary.

那天下午，她接受了久负盛名的莫尼卡. 艾默生多元化奖, which annually recognizes significant achievements toward developing a culturally diverse, compassionate university community reflective of inclusive excellence.

“When I learned that I was receiving the award I was moved to tears,皮茨说。. “I share this award with the members of the OUWB community who have worked diligently to ensure an inclusive environment and have led the initiatives that our community is recognized for.”

然而, 没有她的领导, several OUWB programs would not be possible: the nationally recognized 多样性 Liaison Program, 多元化冠军证书计划, 建立OUWB多样性, 股本, and 包容 Council and its development of the Learning Environment 的指导方针 along with the school’s 无意识的偏见 training.

Her work positively impacts the OUWB community with the most recent example being the implementation of the 多样性, 股本, and 包容 Day during new student orientation at OUWB where incoming students are immersed in activities focused on diversity, 股本, 和包容(DEI).

“The real reward is not the recognition; it is the people who have been impacted by the work, who have increased their awareness and have made a commitment to foster an inclusive environment,迪尔德丽·皮茨说, 副院长, 教务及教务.

在她的提名信中，斯蒂芬妮·阿塔尔迪博士.D., 副教授, 基础医学研究系, praised Pitts for her ability to connect with students, 以同性恋者为例 & Allies student interest group requested her support of a LGBTQIA+ project which came to fruition in early 2020 as the OUWB Kaleidoscope Project.

“The students have always felt comfortable in approaching Dr. Pitts with any DEI-related concerns, especially those pertaining to the LGBTQ+ community. She has listened to them with compassion and sensitivity,” said Attardi.

Her commitment to building a diverse academic environment is steadfast and far-reaching.

The OU community has benefited as well with the university now requiring a diversity liaison designate to participate as a member of the search committee when interviewing 教师 and 工作人员.

莫妮卡E. 爱默生, 这个奖项是以他的名字命名的, 对皮茨获得2023年的奖项感到兴奋吗, and specifically points to 多元化冠军证书计划 as one of the important contributions for building a community that is committed to DEI.

多元化冠军证书计划, 2021年2月下水, consists of several training sessions focused on topics such as social identity, 无意识的偏见, microaggressions, 种族和种族主义的历史, 代词的重要性, 和更多的. Champion cohorts of about 25 include a mix of students, 工作人员, 教师, 和科威尔健康中心的住院医生, 从项目毕业后, are qualified to lead others with a commitment to the mission of realizing a diverse, 公平的, 包容的社区.

“Dr. Pitts is a walking, talking, and living embodiment of diversity, 股本 and inclusion. From the time I met her, I was impressed with her warmth and openness,爱默生说. “Because she is so comfortable in her own skin, she can allow others to be their authentic selves.”

She describes the qualities of award recipients as being someone who has the ability to create transformative relationships.

“这需要心灵的参与, head, and hands; a heart that is kind and loving, 一个充满好奇心和不断学习的头脑, 还有愿意做重要事情的双手, 有时是困难的工作,爱默生说, 谁颁奖的?.

对于皮特, the real reward is knowing that her work is having an impact on people who are then making life-changing differences in their communities.

“The real reward is not the recognition; it is the people who have been impacted by the work, who have increased their awareness and have made a commitment to foster an inclusive environment,皮茨说。. “(It’s those) who strive to step out of their comfort zone, 拥抱差异, 挑战神话和刻板印象, 以建设性的方式处理偏见事件, 为那些不喜欢他们的人发声, and to ensure that those they interact with are not isolated. 这就是回报.”

那么，她的莫妮卡E. 艾默生多元化奖驻留?

“I thought about taking the award home and placing it in my curio to share with my family and close friends. 而是, I decided to keep the award in my office as a reminder of the team effort and collaboration that allowed me to receive the award,皮茨说。.

莫妮卡·E. 艾默生多元化奖 was established in November 2015 to create a lasting legacy honoring 爱默生’s lifelong work in diversity, 股本 and inclusion and in recognition of outstanding contributions to diversity and inclusion on campus. 艾默生是公开大学名誉董事会成员, 现任对外开放大学院长顾问委员会成员, 也是公开大学的校友.