The Department of Student Affairs held an awards program Thursday for various “Unity in Diversity Week” competitions in the Regency Room of the Holmes Student Center.

Award categories included poster design, speech and freshman essay. The competitions were judged by committees. And the winners were…

In the freshman essay competition, Burton Kent won first place; he then read his essay about being hearing impaired. Melinda Trout took second place, and Kimberly Hoskins won third.

In the poster competition, Julie Gleason won first place for her poster featuring computer generated graphics and a light green sideborder. Second place went to Lori Harast, and Karen Kosner won third place. All the posters contained the “Unity in Diversity” theme “You Are One of A Kind.”

After being presented with first place in the speech competition, Byron Payne tap-danced as he did his presentation about rhythm. Second place went to Tanisha Smith, and Patricia Thomas took third place.

Other highlights:

Willard Draper, Assistant Director of Student Housing Services used an analogy by Jessie Jackson that compared America’s cultural diversity to a stew rather than a melting pot. “Each ingredient maintains it’s individual characteristics.”

NIU President John La Tourette said it is important for the NIU community to make a commitment to the “Unity in Diversity” theme “not for a day, not for a week, not for a year, but forever.”

Robert T. Self, coordinator for the English department, said racism had leaked onto campus and “onto the editorial pages of our student newspaper.” He also said the only “losers” in the essay competition were students who submitted racist essays.