Continuing with our celebration of this year’s CALS Award recipients, we are sharing information about the winners of the CALS Equity and Diversity Award and Excellence in International Activities Award this week.

Erika Anna

Erika, recipient of the CALS Equity and Diversity Award, is a Faculty Associate in the Department of Nutritional Sciences, where she advises students and coordinates diversity and inclusion efforts. She played a critical role in the Equity and Diversity Committee’s launch of the Departmental Diversity Representative initiative. She is an authentic, reliable contributor who is happiest watching others have their moment to shine.

Erika’s commitment to issues of diversity, inclusion, and climate permeates all aspects of her work. In her course, Cultural Aspects of Food and Nutrition, she helps students directly explore the connection between food and culture, and discover how biased views of cultures can affect food acquisition and overall nutrition.

As an advisor, she is extremely dedicated, especially in serving students from underrepresented populations. She has given her time to attend prospective student sessions to provide information about Dietetics and Nutritional Sciences. With genuine warmth and a listening ear, she goes out of her way to provide service and support for her students. Within the Department of Nutritional Sciences, Erika is a key driver of DEI initiatives, and is heavily relied upon to provide leadership and content.

Claudia Irene Calderón

Claudia, recipient of the Excellence in International Activities Award, has been a leader on the CALS Global Committee, the Department of Horticulture’s Diversity and Equity committee, a collaborator with the Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies program, a participant in the Latinx Employee Resources Group and the Director of Gender and Agroecology for UW’s 4W Initiative. She has worked with the Nuestro Mundo Elementary School and has long been an advisor and participant with CALS Global on a variety of our programs.

Claudia was hired to build and advance the study abroad program in Horticulture — a job she has done exceptionally well for many years. She has developed innovative programming in Central America for students and has built a tropical horticulture program that exposes them to a completely different physical and cultural environment for crop production and utilization. From this platform, she has always been an outstanding teacher, mentor, and role model for students.

Teaching in Guatemala and the United States, a multitude of students say that working with Claudia was an honor and an unforgettable experience. With a background of research in agroecology and agriculture, she has shared her knowledge by mentoring five students in international research. She is praised by her nominators for being enthusiastic, empathetic, and inspirational.