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SGA president honored with diversity award by Cindy Abole Public Relations MUSC’s Student Government Association (SGA) president has been rewarded for his work and involvement to improve social, racial, and cultural awareness and relationships.     Alex Whitley, Ph.D., SGA president, became the first recipient of the Earl B. Higgins Student Leadership in Diversity Award for his leadership and advances in promoting diversity and inclusiveness around campus.   He joins child psychologist Cynthia Cupit-Swenson, Ph.D., who also was recognized April 5 as the 2006 recipient of the Earl B. Higgins Achievement in Diversity Award.   A first-year College of Medicine student, Whitley was lauded for his diversity appreciation and guidance through the MUSC SGA and other campus organizations. Since being elected SGA president in 2004, he actively participated in meetings, events and celebrations sponsored by several MUSC diversity organizations including the International Student Association, Multicultural Student Advisory Board, Alliance for Hispanic Health and the MUSC Gay/Straight Alliance. In addition, he shared in various areawide Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) events on campus and the Black History Intercollegiate Consortium MLK Celebration.   “This award is very much an honor,” said Whitley. “First, because of Dr. Higgins and his demeanor as a person to everyone along with what he stood for. Second, because of the others that have been honored with the faculty/staff/employee award. To say I feel like am standing in the land of giants—giants in the sense of public good—would be appropriate. Being the first student means a lot as well, however I feel that many students have participated in trying to change the culture around campus just as much if not more than I have. I accepted the award recognizing that it has been and will continue to have to be a collective effort. I strongly believe that it is everyone’s duty to actively move in the direction of diversity awareness and inclusion.”   In addition, Whitley worked tirelessly to strengthen SGA’s connections with multicultural groups and organizations around campus, specifically MUSC’s International Association and Hispanic American Month celebrations each year.   He was involved in several planning committees for World AIDS Day, MLK Day, the On/Not Off Service project and other multicultural celebrations in addition to encouraging students to assist and participate in other communitywide events from health fairs to other service projects.     “Inclusiveness and diversity appreciation and recognition have been among Alex’s primary goals for MUSC SGA and the student body during his two years of leadership,” wrote Robin Hardin, director of MUSC Student Programs, in a Feb. 28 nomination letter on behalf of Whitley. “Alex has taken actions accordingly and has strongly influenced others to do the same. He has dedicated many hours to related events, meetings and planning committees while finishing his doctorate degree (2004-05) and starting as a first year medical student (2005-06).”      Whitley’s own definition of diversity is very broad and includes everything from race to social and economic status. He embraces a statement written by Mohandas Gandhi, which has become a mantra that Whitley has come to live by: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”   A native of Salisbury, N.C., Whitley earned his doctorate degree in Pharmacology from MUSC last May. In addition to his studies, SGA role and student-related activities, Whitley, and his wife also support work with the high school youth group at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Mount Pleasant and participate in other volunteering in the Lowcountry community.      “I am hopeful that all will join me in the attitude of inclusion... not only the attitude, but also the action that must follow,” Whitley said. “What we don’t rectify today will be left for those tomorrow. We can only reach certain heights based on those changes that happened before us. We need to move in the right direction so that we and hopefully those that follow us can fully realize the goal of inclusion.”   Since its inception in 1996, MUSC Office of Student Diversity has sponsored the Earl. B. Higgins Achievement in Diversity Award honoring the dedicated work of Dr. Earl B. Higgins, former director of affirmative action and minority affairs, who died Aug. 30, 1992.   This is the first year the award recognizes an MUSC student for promoting diversity on campus and throughout the community. 2006 Earl B. Higgins Scholarship Recipients Sylvia Ashford, College of Health Professions; Olando Singletary, College of Nursing; Corey Wright, College of Medicine; Thy Trinh, College of Pharmacy; Jewel Pompey, College of Dental Medicine and Johnna Allen, College of Graduate Studies     Friday, April 21, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. 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