Professor Mike Roos, of the RWC Department of English and Communication, is the 2007 recipient of the Diversity Is Beautiful Award. UC Vice-President Dr. Mitchel Livingston and RWC Dean Dolores Straker presented Mike with the award on Monday, May 21, during his Student News Workshop class. Several faculty members came to view the presentation, including Professor Phil Luther, Chair of the English Department, and professors Stan Sulkes and Marlene Miner.
Professor Roos was nominated for the award by three former students of his, all of whom had taken the Student News Workshop class as well as other courses he teaches. According to the nomination letters, he has in the past, and continues today to foster an environment in his classroom of respect and tolerance. His teaching and mentoring style help students to grow as individuals and many of his students claim he has helped them become more “open-minded” with regards to diversity.
Here are some other excerpts from his nomination letters:
“He taught us how to look past our ages, religions, race, backgrounds, and become fast friends. Thank you, Mike Roos, for showing us that being diverse is truly beautiful.”
“From my perspective as a staff writer and fellow classmate, in order to have a functioning organization, such as the Activist, one must be open-minded. Any student can register for the class. But to be truly effective, the student must be open and respectful to others, not only the staff, but also to those individuals who are contacted weekly for story information. Mike Roos showed me that diversity goes beyond what is defined in the dictionary; in fact he taught me patience.”
“All-in-all, Professor Mike Roos, of the RWC English Department, is diversity. And what makes him beautiful are the dozens of students who leave his classrooms unknowingly more open, more diverse, and more accepting of the world around them.
Monday, July 21, 2025