Dr. Cheryl Chatman was awarded the Association of Black Women in Higher Education (ABWHE)’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2019 ABWHE Conference in St. Paul on Thursday, October 17.
The award celebrates Dr. Chatman’s work at CSP where she provides vision and leadership for the university’s diversity efforts through creative programming, consultation, and partnership with students, faculty, staff, and administrators, as well as by creating and sustaining supportive relationships with students, colleagues, and community constituencies.
Dr. Chatman is active in the community and serves as a member of the Minnesota Chapter of the ABWHE, on the Board of NAACP, ARTS US, and in the “EveryBody’s In” organization. She has served on numerous planning committees for various diversity, intercultural, and leadership training events and conferences for faculty, staff, students, and the community. In addition, The Dr. Cheryl Troutman Chatman Diversity Center on CSP’s campus was dedicated in her honor.
“The mission and values of the ABWHE organization are to promote, develop and document the growth and achievements of Black women in higher education,” Dr. Chatman explained. “We strive to utilize our gifts, skills, and opportunities to mentor youth and support other Blacks in higher education that face barriers that limit their voice or potential. I am so humbled that the outstanding and dedicated women of ABWHE, are acknowledging and supporting the ministry and services that God has enabled me to provide throughout my career in higher education.”
In addition to the Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr. Chatman was also recognized as a pioneering leader and was presented with a resolution from the ABWHE’s National Board and chapter members for her service and commitment to organizations and bettering the lives of many.
The goal of this year’s ABWHE Conference was to help sisters re-claim their strength and invited partners in secondary education, higher education, and the corporate sector to collaborate and help sisters advance academically, financially, and professionally.
Members of the CSP community were in attendance for Dr. Chatman’s award
The Association for Black Women in Higher Education aims to promote intellectual growth and educational development of Black women in higher education; seek to eliminate racism, sexism, classism, and other social barriers that hinder Black women in higher education from achieving their potential; to communicate the history, personal and professional achievements and contributions of Black women in higher education in order to help preserve the presences of Blacks in higher education; to provide academic and social mentoring for Black youth in order to ensure a future generation of Blacks in higher education; and to utilize talents, strengths, and expertise to advance a vision of social justice.