December 10, 2019

Champions of Diversity and Inclusion Award winner Melissa Yamanaka (center)

University of the Pacific has awarded Melissa Yamanaka, academic affairs coordinator at the Dugoni School of Dentistry, as one of the recipients of the 2019 Champions of Diversity and Inclusion Award. Established in 2017, the Champions of Diversity and Inclusion Award recognizes students, faculty and staff on all three campuses who have gone above and beyond in their support of diversity and inclusion efforts at Pacific. The Diversity Leadership team selected recipients based on the strength of the nominations and the quality and scope of the work being recognized. 

Since starting at the Dugoni School, Melissa has made a positive impact across many areas, placing humanism and kindness at the center of her work and interactions with others. Her passion for creating inclusive educational experiences is evident from her support of community health programming such as the Student Community Outreach for Public Education (SCOPE) and enthusiasm for enhancing the student experience. 

Melissa is a key member of the Dugoni Diversity and Inclusion Committee, developing and coordinating diversity-related programming for the San Francisco Campus. She most recently helped organized a panel of international dental students as part of International Education Week activities held in November, supported by the Diversity and Inclusion Committee. At the event, students from the International Dental Studies program shared some of their personal narratives and global experiences.

Contact: Office of Marketing and Communications, 415.929.6434, pr@pacific.edu

Categories: Awards, Honors, Leadership, Staff, 2019

Contact: Office of Marketing and Communications, 415.929.6434, pr@pacific.edu