Ren Griffith Receives 2024 Dr. P.B. Poorman Award for Outstanding Achievement on Behalf of LGBTQ+ People
UW-Parkside student Ren Griffith is one of 13 individuals who have received 2024 Dr. P.B. Poorman Award for Outstanding Achievement on Behalf of LGBTQ+ People, an annual honor given by the Universities of Wisconsin to LGBTQ+ people or their allies who have helped to create a safer and more inclusive climate for LGBTQ+ people.
Ren Griffith (any pronouns) is a fourth-year student majoring in Applied Health Sciences with a concentration in medical laboratory science and minoring in Biological Sciences. While in college they have remained on the Provost’s list every semester and strives to learn as much as possible across varied fields of study.
A Mount Pleasant native, they worked in the Genders and Sexualities Advocacy Center as well as the Student Accessibility Center. As one of the first GSAC Center Advocates, they facilitated discussions on the intersections and realities of the lgbtq, qtpoc, womens, and poc communities, established a sharing shelf of materials related to sexual health and wellness, education, and harm reduction, organized bridge tables on special topics in lgbtq identity and history, and more.
The award celebrates the memory and legacy of Dr. Paula B. Poorman, a highly regarded faculty member at UW-Whitewater dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ people. This year marks the 16th anniversary of the founding of the Dr. P.B. Poorman Award.
"Honorees are helping build a better experience for our students, faculty, and staff," said Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman. "This award recognizes their achievements in creating a safer and inclusive climate at our universities."
Each UW university was invited to select one individual to receive the award, which highlights each recipient’s contributions to advocacy, activism, or scholarship that enhances the experiences of, and improves the climate for, LGBTQ+ people. For more information about the award and past recipients, see wisconsin.edu/grants-awards/poorman-award/.
The University of Wisconsin-Parkside is committed to high-quality educational programs, creative and scholarly activities, and services responsive to its diverse student population, and its local, national, and global communities. We are a dynamic learning community grounded in academic excellence and focused on student success, diversity, inclusion, and community engagement. The campus serves as a premier comprehensive public institution and a destination of choice, serving as a focal point of local, regional, and global progress.
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