Since 2002, the Division of Student Affairs and the Office of Women have partnered to select and honor faculty, staff and students who have demonstrated significant leadership, achievement, advocacy or service in support of gender equity, women’s empowerment, women’s history or cultures of inclusion. This annual awards reception is one way IUPUI celebrates National Women’s History Month and recognizes the contributions women make to our campus community.
The 2022 National Women’s History Month theme – Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope – pays tribute to the ceaseless work of caregivers and frontline workers during this ongoing pandemic, and also recognizes the thousands of ways that women of all cultures have provided both healing and hope throughout history.
Kathy Grove, director for the Office of Women and co-chair of the Women’s History Month Recognition Awards, said, “This event is one of several cultural heritage celebrations that we recognize on our campus. I enjoy highlighting our outstanding faculty, staff and students. It’s inspiring.”
National Women’s History Month was created by Congress in 1987 to spotlight the achievements of women that had been left out of our school curriculums and history books for years. Some of the 2022 awards recipients view this recognition as an opportunity to spotlight the significant work being done in their selected majors.
“My goal is to represent women in my field,” said Ishita Bhedi. “Only about 20 percent of engineers are women. Being a woman engineer motivates me to break all the stigma and biases that have been placed on this role.”
For Mikki Jaramillo, this achievement represents how far women have come in dentistry.
“From two woman graduates in 1891 to where we are today with over 50 percent enrollment at the School of Dentistry, I am so honored to be part of the growing network of women in dentistry,” Jaramillo said.
Recipients were also selected for their outstanding leadership and work to make campus an inclusive, diverse and welcoming place for all students.
As someone who has dedicated a lot of their undergraduate work to fighting against sexual assault and gender inequality, Katherine Shr was honored to be recognized for their efforts.
“Education is the focus of my work, and I hope to continue to increase access to education on these types of social inequities and topics,” they said. “As a non-binary person, I feel so proud to be awarded this honor. This work isn't just done by cis womxn, but trans womxn and femme nonbinary individuals, too.”
As a recognized leader on campus, Rashi Dhenia hopes this achievement will also inspire all female students at IUPUI to strive for excellence.
“Winning this award has given me more credibility as a female student leader on campus, and it has motivated me to become a female role model for my peers,” Dhenia said.
Kennedy Weaver echoes the same sentiment of wanting to empower future woman leaders.
“For me, this award celebrates the leadership of women from all backgrounds while encouraging younger generations to act upon their own passions and missions,” they said.
“I want to give a special acknowledgment to the women of our community and beyond that have struggled with identifying themselves as empowered women due to their ‘non-traditional’ or ‘unconventional’ sexual orientation, body type or physical features,” Weaver said. “I stand with you. You ARE women, and you are enough.”
Below are the 2022 Women’s History Month Recognition Awards student winners.
Undergraduate winners
Sahar Abdullah, School of Informatics and Computing
Ishita Bhedi, School of Engineering and Technology
Rashi Dhenia, School of Liberal Arts and Purdue School of Engineering and Technology
Andrea Jacobson, School of Engineering and Technology
Harpreet Kaur, School of Science
Verayna Newland, School of Science
Katherine Shr, School of Science and Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs
Sumera Syeda, School of Science
Graduate winners
Jocelyne Hernandez, School of Health & Human Sciences
Mikki Jaramillo, School of Dentistry
Kennedy Weaver, School of Health & Human Sciences
Congratulations to the 2022 staff and faculty members who also received a Women’s History Month Recognition Award! View staff and faculty winners.
