IUPUI Chancellor Charles Bantz presents the 2009 Joseph T. Taylor Award for Excellence in Diversity to Dr. Irene Queiro-Tajalli 
Dr. Irene Queiro-Tajalli accepts the diversity award from IUPUI Chancellor Charles Bantz
Feb. 27, 2009 - Like the other award winners that came before, Dr. Irene Queiro-Tajalli has made a sustained commitment across their careers and is an example of the best practices “to all the rest of us,” IUPUI Chancellor Charles Bantz said in presenting her the 2009 Joseph T. Taylor Award for Excellence in Diversity.
The award was presented to Dr. Queiro-Tajalli, a faculty member at IUPUI since 1980, at the 20th Annual Joseph Taylor Symposium Feb. 26th at the Campus Center.
To those who know Dr. Queiro-Tajalli, the Executive Director of Undergraduate Education and the Interim Executive Director of the Labor Studies program at the School of Social Work, the award could hardly come as a surprise, Bantz said. He noted she is a member of the Chancellor’s Diversity Cabinet and has always been a consistent and passionate leader, willing to raise hard issues. “And if the point hadn’t been made, you could always count on Irene to raise her hand and say, ‘I know you know this, but I am concerned about our students and I want to make sure those people who have less opportunity in fact have an opportunity at this campus’, ” Bantz said.
“One of her gifts is she can do that with that soft voice and firm mind and warm heart, that I believe illustrates the best in social work, that she is willing to ask a tough question, willing to have that open heart, and willing to bring others along.
“As an educator, she repeatedly has demonstrated exemplary commitment to the incorporation of the principals of multiculturalism, pluralism, equity in diversity in the curriculum,” Bantz pointed out.
“It doesn’t surprise me that our data shows that every respondent in the school of social work, the students, believe that every class touches on diversity. They anchor one end of the distribution in this campus in terms of their students seeing diversity throughout the curriculum.”
Dr. Queiro-Tajalli, who came close to crying several times when accepting the award, told those at the symposium, “I arm really honored to receive the Joseph T. Taylor Award for Excellence in Diversity.” Dr. Queiro-Tajalli explained she had the honor and pleasure to know Dr.Taylor. “He was a great mentor, he challenged us to create an environment free of prejudice and an environment where diversity would flourish and be respected. He believed that could be accomplished through the power of dialog and respect.”
“ I hope to continue his legacy through my work and personal actions,” she added.
Dr. Queiro-Tajalli pointed out the award really belongs to the School of Social Work, which gave her the freedom to work with the diverse communities of Indiana and other parts of the world.
In nominating her for the award, School of Social Work Dean Michael Patchner said, “Dr. Queiro-Tajalli’s passion for social work practice and social work education with a focus on diversity, permeates her daily duties whether on campus or in the community.”
The award is named after Dr. Taylor, the first dean of the School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI. Considered a pioneer, visionary and consensus builder, Dr. Taylor was known for his commitment to creating opportunities for higher education in a diverse city like Indianapolis.
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