KINGSVILLE (April 11, 2022) — Barbara Collins, assistant director of the Disability Resource Center at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, is the 2022 recipient of the Chancellor’s Medallion for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from the Texas A&M University System.
This award recognizes and honors individuals who have demonstrated high levels of meaningful engagement in activities that promote a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion at their university and the broader higher education community.
“I feel honored, proud and jubilant for being selected for this prestigious award from the A&M System because my outstanding contributions towards equity, diversity and inclusion at Texas A&M-Kingsville are being recognized,” Collins said. “Awards such as this are important because contributions are valued and they give a sense of accomplishment. It’s also good for the university because it displays how an individual’s efforts have impacted the university community.”
“During her 32 years of service to Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Barbara has demonstrated an unwavering commitment toward student success, cultivating and mentoring students of color, advocating and empowering students with disabilities and most importantly, creating numerous educational events and activities that engage the [campus] community to challenge their perspectives and biases,” said Jo Elda Castillo-Alaniz, director of Student Health and Wellness.
“Barbara’s various leadership roles actively championed the commitment to promote inclusivity and increase diversity awareness in the classroom, work place and among the Javelina family,” she added. “She unequivocally deserves to be recognized for a lifetime of achievements and dedication to making a difference for underrepresented individuals.”
“Mrs. Collins embodies the culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Texas A&M University- Kingsville in a number of ways. She represents her students and advocates for them to have an equal and fair chance at academic success,” said Dr. Marta Aleman, university physician and clinic director. “She is a voice for her students to the university, educating the university and its faculty and staff on current disability laws and practices, thereby helping to remove not only barriers to university services but barriers to education and future careers.
“She has been an advocate for racial diversity and inclusion at our university and she has been instrumental in educating our department about racial equality and justice. Her positive influence in this field further serves to communicate to her students, her co-workers, and the university the importance that each and every one of us has not only to our university, but also to the world outside our walls,” Aleman added.
“Mrs. Collins’ genuine efforts have helped raise awareness and remove barriers in our campus community with faculty and administrators. The students and parents appreciate her efforts to ensure that their children have an inclusive college experience,” said Rose A. Gomez, accommodations counselor with the Disability Resource Center.
“Working with students with disabilities, who are considered an underserved population, Mrs. Collins actively engages with disability students daily and advocates for equity and inclusion. She has been serving disability students for 12 years and she continuously advocates for an equal playing field for students with disabilities in all areas of the campus,” Gomez added.
About Barbara Collins
As assistant director of the Disability Resource Center, Collins is responsible for the administration and management of the center and ensuring compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 and the Fair Housing Act as it relates to students with disabilities.
On campus, she is currently a member of the Black Heritage Committee and she also serves on the Electronic Information Resources Accessibility Committee (EIRAC) to ensure the university is compliant with accessible technology. Collins was instrumental in leading a race relations discussion group for Student Health and Wellness that focused on a webinar entitled The Effects of Police Brutality and Racism on Black Students and Professionals in Education. She also has participated in social justice marches.
She is a current member of the Texas A&M-Kingsville Commencement Committee where she ensures that students with disabilities have an inclusive university and graduation experience. She was a participant in the Chancellor’s Symposium on Accessibility and served on the university’s Accessibility Team. She provides ongoing disability awareness training for faculty through the New faculty Orientation and departmental meetings.
Her professional affiliations include the Association in Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) and AHEAD in Texas. In addition, she served two years (2017-2018) on the AHEAD in Texas Board of Directors, as the Director at Large.
She holds a Master of Science degree in Counseling and Guidance and a Bachelor of Business Administration, both from Texas A&M University-Kingsville where she was a member of the Javelina track team.
About the Chancellor’s Medallion for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The medallion is given once a year to a full- or part-time staff or faculty member at each member institution of the Texas A&M University System.
Each nominee must have the following qualifications:
- initiates and leads actions that advances diversity, equity and inclusion within the working environment for institutional employees and/or the learning environment for students
- demonstrates a strong commitment to just and sustainable diversity, equity and inclusion practices
- raises awareness about bias and creates opportunities to identify and remove barriers and
- demonstrates a sensitivity to the unique needs of historically underrepresented and underserved populations.
-TAMUK-
