Commission on the Status of Women

CSW Outstanding Achievement and Contribution Awards

2002 Award Recipients

Karen Leong

Assistant Professor
Women’s Studies

Through her teaching and dedication to women’s issues, Dr. Karen Leong has distinguished herself as an advocate of change. Not only does Karen challenge women’s studies students to seriously examine issues of gender, race, and class, but her research on representations of Chinese/American women offers a "significant contribution to women’s history." Dr. Leong’s advocacy reaches far beyond the classroom. She has assisted in the organization of a number of important conferences including the Asian American Studies National Conference and the Women of Color conference. Karen has served as both Vice President and President of ASU’s Asian American Faculty/Staff Association and has organized the Women’s Studies Work in Progress reading group, which serves to offer support to feminist scholars across all disciplines. Dr. Leong’s contributions significantly touch those around her. As one of her colleagues explains, "Through all aspects of her work, Karen Leong has had a tremendous impact on the lives and education of all women at ASU, particularly women of color. She models truly revolutionary action in and out of the classroom."

Bernice Posey

Administrative Assistant
Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost

Through her hard work and advocacy, Bernice Posey has demonstrated a strong dedication towards not only improving the status of women, but also in raising the visibility of staff women and their concerns at ASU. As a board member of University Career Women and as a participant of Women Camp, Bernice has helped in the planning of a number of campus wide events designed to develop the professional skills of administrative and classified personnel. In addition to her concerns for women staff members at ASU, Bernice has also served in a variety of organizations which recognize the scholarship and experience of African American women. Bernice has served as President of Sister Friends, as a member of Diversity Alliance, and as a member of the steering committee behind the Desert Women conference which focuses on the experiences of women of color at ASU. Bernice is an extraordinary and compassionate individuals. As a colleague explains, "Her commitment to being involved in making ASU a more inclusive community for all women, regardless of their title, has been evident in how visible and appreciated Ms. Posey is across campus, and at all levels of administration.

Kristine Csavina

Ph.D. Candidate,
Bioengineering, CEAS

While pursuing a doctorate in the Biomechanics area of Bioengineering, Kristine devoted significant time and energy to a variety of organizations and programs. She has worked diligently with the Bioengineering Honors Society, Alpha Eta Mu Beta, as well as with outreach programs such as Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) and ASU’s Preparing Future Faculty. In addition to these accomplishments, Kristine has also been instrumental in launching a first-ever Bioengineering First-Year Student Workshop series, which was featured in a paper and presentation for the Annual Conference of American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) in June of 2002.

Women in Science & Engineering (WISE)

The WISE program was created in 1993 to offer support to female students within the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS). The WISE program at Arizona State University is dedicated to developing programs and services which improve the climate for and support women in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Currently, WISE offers many programs and services to recruit and retain women within the CEAS and encourage them to pursue academic majors and careers in engineering.

Members: Dr. Mary Anderson-Rowland, Dana Newell, Shawna Fletcher, Katrina Vance, Tania Will, Carolyn Cooper, Kesha Bynum, Thuy Huynh, Ee-Lin Tan, Roxanne Ruedy