CAS faculty recognized for excellence

Faculty Focus

Dr. Burg receives Keeper of the Flame Award

Dr. Steven Burg, professor of history, was the university’s recipient of the annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Keeper of the Flame Award, organized by Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE).

The award recognizes an individual from each of the State System university campuses for their contributions to creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive environments that cultivate a sense of belonging.

“It was a wonderful honor and recognition for Shippensburg University for me to be awarded thus year’s PASSHE Keeper of the Flame award. I’ve been fortunate to work with many faculty and students through the years on history projects that explored and promoted diversity. These included oral history and research that explored race, gender, and the LGBTQ+ experience, from a project interviewing Cumberland County women in World War II and the impact of the recent SU LGBTQ+ History Project,” Burg said. Burg helps to organize campus events to encourage the university community to engage in healthy discussions about racial discrimination. Burg presented at the National First-Year Experience Conference in 2020 on “Fostering Cross-Campus Collaboration for First-Year Student Success,” and assisted the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs on “Building Bridges,” a program with small group discussions to better understand issues that separate people.

Burg has worked with faculty, staff, and students to develop and run the university’s First-Year Experience program.

“We started with a commitment to help all students to be successful, and especially to close the retention, persistence, and graduation rates for students of color. We still have work to do, but we have been making progress and changing students’ lives in the process.” Burg’s current research is documenting and preserving the history of African American cemeteries. Burg began preserving a local cemetery 20 years ago and later started working with the Pennsylvania Hallowed Grounds. In February, the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office invited Burg to present his research entitled, “Discovering Pennsylvania’s African American Cemeteries.”

“All of this work has been a partnership, and so in accepting the Keeper of the Flame, I do it on behalf of all the students, faculty, staff, and administrators who have been my partners in this work. For it truly takes a village to make change possible,” Burg said.

Dr. Carey receives Humanitarian Award

Dr. Allison Carey, professor of sociology and chair of the sociology/anthropology department was presented with the Humanitarian Award. The recipient of the award is chosen by the Shippensburg University African American Organization.

“Student awards are the best! We’re here to serve students and when they recognize that we are trying our best, that it is truly deeply meaningful and it is an honor to be recognized for the work with racial justice… our efforts are being recognized and appreciated by the students,” Carey said.

The Humanitarian award was presented to Carey during the 36th Annual March for Humanity. According to Carey the award is meant to recognize staff and faculty who work towards a more socially just and racially inclusive environment at the university.

…it is truly deeply meaningful and it is an honor to be recognized for the work with racial justice…