Commission on the Status of Women

CSW Outstanding Achievement and Contribution Awards

2012 Award Recipients

Ann Hoffman, Graduate Student, Psychology
Ann Hoffman is an outstanding and accomplished graduate student whose excellence reaches far beyond published papers and research awards.  Ann has demonstrated and established herself as a dedicated mentor to numerous students, particularly women from diverse backgrounds.  In the past few years, Ann has mentored two undergraduate women honors students, dedicating countless hours to help support their success.  When one of the students was awarded a prestigious internship which would require the student to be away from the lab during the summer, Ann kept the student’s lab study going while the student was away and patiently trained the student in different lab techniques upon their return.  Both honors students are now headed to doctoral programs.  In addition to these students, Ann has also supported an mentored other undergraduate students, including a Hispanic young man who decided to apply and stay at ASU for graduate school as a result of Ann’s encouragement.  Ann’s efforts have helped to increase the representation of women and other underrepresented groups in academics.  Ann’s outreach is not limited to ASU however, Ann is also an active mentor in the Shades Multicultural Mentoring Program, and in the “Brain Awareness Outreach” program which brings grade school children to ASU and encourages them  to look at science as fun.  In the words of her nominator, “Ann is a perfect example of an outstanding graduate student and scholar who really cares about mentorship and the training of students.  She is cognizant of those students from under-represented demographics and works to broaden the representation of these groups in science.”

Jill Sullivan, Associate Professor, School of Music
Jill Sullivan is an outstanding scholar and advocate for women in music.  Through her research she has brought attention to women leaders in music, with a particular focus on women leaders of instrumental music ensembles and bands.  Her recent book entitled “Bands of Sisters: U.S. Women’s Military Bands During World War II,” uncovers the stories of women who enlisted to serve when base bands were depleted because the male band members were sent overseas.  These ensembles and the women remain largely unknown , but thanks to her work, it brings light to the important contributions that these women made.  In addition to her research, Jill has also worked hard to bring together conferences that highlight the important contribution of women in music.  Recently this past fall, Dr. Sullivan coordinated the 11th Feminist Theory and Music Conference at ASU – this was the first time that this conference was held not only at ASU, but also in the Southwest.  Dr. Sullivan brought in leading feminist scholars and structured the conference to allow the opportunity for graduate students to showcase their research in this important area.  In addition to her research, Dr. Sullivan is an outstanding mentor who is generous with her time in helping students succeed.  In the words of her nominator, “Dr. Sullivan continues to do good work in a slice of the music profession that is dominated by men and still slow to change.”

Cheryl Conrad, Associate Dean of Research & Facilities and Professor of Psychology
Cheryl Conrad is an exemplary scholar who is dedicated to encouraging and supporting women in the sciences, particularly through mentorship.  Cheryl has made tremendous efforts to support and mentor women and minority students from programs such as the “Minority Access to Research Careers” program, the School of Life Sciences Undergraduate Research program, and the Honors program.  Cheryl has also been a fantastic mentor to junior faculty members in the sciences.  Cheryl always offers “sensitive, clear, direct, and constructive advice” on how to achieve balance between career and family.  Her constant encouragement of women in the sciences has inspired many faculty members.  This is best exemplified in the words of one faculty member, who remarked that “this encouragement has undoubtedly given me the confidence to take steps in my professional life that I might have otherwise … this includes giving talks I may have otherwise turned down, writing a book chapter, and now having the courage to edit my own book.”  Cheryl leads and inspires success in others, and thanks to her efforts, many women in the sciences are bolstered by her support and inspired by her example.

Hispanic Mother Daughter Program
The Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program was founded in 1983 with the purpose to increase the number of first generation Hispanic women who complete a bachelor’s degree by directly involving the mothers in the educational process of their daughters.  Over the past twenty eight years of the program, the program has since helped thousands of women in their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree at ASU.  The program is successful by mentoring young women beginning and eighth grade and all through high school, while at the same time mentoring their mothers.  Through monthly evening workshops and school visits, both the mother and daughter participants learn about the college preparatory process, how to maintain high academic success, and most importantly establish a personal commitment towards education.  What makes this program unique is that by including the mother in the process, the daughter are much more likely to pursue their higher education plans because of the direct support they receive from their mothers, rather than going through the process alone.  The success of this program is seen in the high rates of graduation not only of the direct participants in this program, but also in the graduation of many of the mothers in this program, who are inspired and encouraged by what they have learned from the success of their daughters.