By Riley Dauber
Opinion Editor
Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion, Senior Equity Officer, and Professor of English and American Studies Dr. Alisha Knight was awarded a celebratory citation from the Student Government Association for her Strategic Diversity Plan.
According to the SGA minutes from Tuesday, Feb. 14, Dr. Knight received the citation during the meeting following a discussion about the Strategic Diversity Plan.
SGA Vice President senior Jonah Nicholson nominated Dr. Knight. During their term, each member of the executive board can nominate someone they feel deserves recognition for their work, according to SGA President senior Alex May.
Prior to Dr. Knight, SGA Secretary of Service sophomore Stephen Hook nominated a student who took Washington College classes while in prison.
“[She] was a particularly impactful part of those courses for our students,” Hook said.
Hook took a class with the student during the Fall 2022 semester. The class, taught by Chair of Anthropology and Archaeology and Associate Professor of Anthropology Dr. Emily Steinmetz, visited Baylor Women’s Correctional Facility in Delaware each week.
“Because of the lasting impact she had on students, I felt that it was the SGA’s place to issue her a formal thank you…to acknowledge her impact on the College,” Hook said.
The citation system was first implemented this year. Although still a work in progress, since Hook and Nicholson’s citations were both a success, the SGA is looking to continue the citation system, so that specific individuals are recognized for their work on campus.
“Currently, there are no set rules or guidelines, but citations are given to individuals who’ve impacted the student body in considerable ways,” Hook said.
According to Nicholson, the SGA agreed that Dr. Knight deserved recognition for the work she was doing when it came to the campus’ Strategic Diversity Plan. During the Fall 2022 semester, Dr. Knight hosted diversity, equity, and inclusion forums to engage conversation and hear from different communities on campus about potential plans and steps.
“I am deeply appreciative of the citation I received from the SGA for my efforts to ensure the students had the opportunity to participate in and contribute to the strategic diversity planning process,” Dr. Knight said.
The citation was signed by Nicholson and the Secretary of Diversity junior Hailey Sutton, since the initiative is related to on-campus diversity.
According to Nicholson, he and the rest of the SGA executive board were grateful for Dr. Knight’s work and the fact that she included their perspectives on the diversity plan.
By awarding Dr. Knight with the citation, Nicholson and the rest of the executive board are “making sure this work is continued.”
According to Nicholson, “It’s almost like an accountability system. This is addressing our diversity and the plans on a macroscale and making sure that on a macroscale, each individual organization…has the understanding of what needs to be done, but the autonomy to do it in their own way.”
Moving forward, Dr. Knight plans to focus on “the implementation of the plan within Academic Affairs; to support and help shape Academic Affairs priorities to recruit, retain, and advance diversity faculty, librarians, and Academic Affairs staff; and to lead efforts to create an inclusive learning environment.”
Elm Archive Photo
Photo Caption: Dr. Knight assumed the role of Associate Provost of Diversity and Inclusion and Senior Equity Officer last year.