Nordenberg Presents Affirmative Action Award to Pitt-Bradford Admissions Office

University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark Nordenberg presented the 2010 Chancellor’s Affirmative Action Award on Wednesday to the Admissions Office of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.

“I’m pleased that Chancellor Nordenberg and the selection committee saw fit to acknowledge the work and success of Alex Nazemetz and our admissions staff,” said Dr. Livingston Alexander, president of Pitt-Bradford.

“The colleagues who make up the staff are deeply dedicated and committed to the principles of affirmative action, and they are truly deserving of this special recognition.”

From Fall 2006 to Fall 2009, the number of minority students on campus increased 143 percent. Minority students are now 11.2 percent of the overall full-time student population of 1,453.

Nazemetz said that diversity plays an important part in overall recruitment and in maintaining a steady population of 1,500 full-time-equivalent students.

“All of our students blend together to create a fantastic place to live and learn, which makes Pitt-Bradford the great place that it is,” he said.

Dr. K. James Evans, vice president and dean of student affairs who oversees the Office of Admissions, said, “The vast majority of these students have been recruited from distant locations, with the result that most live on campus and help to create a campus atmosphere where diversity is seen and celebrated.”

Nazemetz said, “The entire admissions staff plays a big part in this award for their long hours, thousands of road miles and relentless recruitment. Their dedication is incredible, and I am happy to work with them.”

In his nomination, Evans added that minority students are more likely to live on campus and make an even more significant portion of students living on campus. That has led to the formation of both the African American Student Union and the Asian Student Alliance on campus.

In a congratulatory letter to Nazemetz, Nordenberg said, “The (selection) Committee was deeply impressed by the team effort the Office of Admissions employed to develop a program that would create a culturally diverse and inclusive campus and community.

“The Committee emphasized that the Office of Admissions, as a whole, realized that diversifying the campus went beyond the number of students enrolled, but included cultural diversity through recruitment of out-of-state students from regions as far away as Florida and Arizona.

“Moreover, the Committee noted the positive impact that these efforts have had not only on the Bradford Campus, but on the surrounding community.”

The Affirmative Action Award is presented annually to an “outstanding University program area or individual that has made a significant contribution in Affirmative Action.”

Alexander said that the diversification of the student body is part of a broader goal of diversity on campus: “We’ve made tremendous progress at the student level and are beginning to see progress at the faculty and staff levels as well. Shining the spotlight on the work of our admissions team will stimulate even more progress in this critically important area.”

In addition to Nazemetz of Allegany, N.Y., members of the admissions staff are Stacey Colosimo of Bradford, administrative assistant; Bob Dilks Jr. of Warren, director of transfer and nontraditional student recruitment; Tad Haight of Bradford, assistant director of admissions; Cindy Nowacki of Warren, transfer and nontraditional student counselor; Vicky Pingie of Bradford, associate director of admissions; Gerry Vogt of St. Marys, coordinator of off-campus programs; and counselors Shawn Manning and Adrianne Dias, both of Bradford; and Bret Butler of Bradford.

Pictured, members of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford admissions staff were honored by University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark Nordenberg Wednesday for their accomplishments in affirmative action. Shown here is the admissions staff. Front row, from left, Gerry Vogt, coordinator of off-campus programs; Vicky Pingie, associate director of admissions; Stacey Colosimo, administrative assistant; middle row, Shawn Manning, counselor; Cindy Nowacki, transfer and nontraditional student counselor; Alex Nazemetz, director; back row, Tad Haight, assistant director of admissions; Adrianne Dias, counselor; Bob Dilks Jr., director of transfer and nontraditional student recruitment; and Bret Butler, counselor.
Photo courtesy of Pitt-Bradford