University of Redlands
The Emily Culpepper Award is given every year to a student who demonstrates excellence in Women's and Gender Studies. In the spirit of Emily's lifetime dedication to social change, we also look for a student dedicated to social transformation.
This year the award was presented to Chelsea Fomin.
The following text was read by Dr. Kimberly Welch, Interim Director of WGS, at the Honors and Recognition Convocation on April 19, 2018 at the University of Redlands Memorial Chapel:
I am pleased to announce that Ms. Chelsea Fomin is the 2018 recipient of the Emily Culpepper Award from University of Redlands’ Women’s Gender and Sexuality Department. This award commemorates a WGS graduating senior who demonstrates the intrinsic relationship between scholarship and activism in our interdisciplinary field.
Chelsea excels in her undergraduate studies at the University of Redlands. As our WGS Social Media manager and Student Conference key coordinator, Ms. Fomin worked tirelessly during the 2017-2018 academic year to ensure that our 10th Annual WGS Student conference allows students and faculty to critically engage with recent undergraduate research pertaining to the intersections of gender, race, ethnicity and sexuality issues.
Ms. Fomin displays a genuine compassion for those historically marginalized in society from the disenfranchised, the poor and to women, men and children affected by gendered violence. Her genuine, deep commitment to social justice, activism and scholarly excellence is outstanding given her extensive responsibilities to campus activism related to women’s and human rights. Chelsea was one of my best students; I will miss her but I’m glad that her advocacy for progressive social change continues as she pursues her graduate studies.
Congratulations Chelsea!
Kimberly Welch, Ph.D.
Professor, Interim Director of the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program (Spring 2018)
