Kelly Thomas wins 2022 Outstanding Community Service Award

CS&E is proud to announce that Kelly Thomas, Senior Academic Advisor, has been awarded the University of Minnesota 2022 Outstanding Community Service Award. The University of Minnesota Outstanding Community Service Staff Award is the highest honor the university gives to a staff member for service to the community. The award recognizes the significant contributions made to the community, including building University-community partnerships and programs that benefit our students, faculty, staff, and community partners.

Kelly infuses her passion and commitment to diversity, accessibility, and fellowship when working with all students, collaborating with her colleagues, and educating and questioning leadership when it’s needed. She has helped our department increase access for all into our undergraduate programs, undergraduate teaching assistantship positions, and student services positions through universal design practices.

Outside of her work in CS&E, Kelly is an activist for numerous social justice causes. She regularly leads community members in organizing protests for racial justice, climate justice, changes to public safety and housing policy, and supporting Indigenous sovereignty.

The university will recognize Kelly and other award recipients at an event to be held in Fall 2022. Outstanding Community Service Awardees will also be recognized at a University of Minnesota Board of Regents Awards Ceremony this spring. CS&E would like to share our greatest appreciation with Kelly and her hard work to serve the community in and out of the department. She is an example for all of us of what action indeed looks like.

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