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WHEREAS, Paula K. Davis was born and raised in the North Side, graduated from Gateway High School in Monroeville and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master of Arts in communications from the University of Pittsburgh; and,
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WHEREAS, Ms. Davis has worked tirelessly to support Pitt students for 30 years in academic advising, admissions, and alumni relations, guiding and inspiring generations of pre-college, undergraduate, graduate, and medical students; and,
WHEREAS, in her role as Associate Vice Chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion for the health sciences, she has coordinated the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty, students, and staff in the health sciences schools; and,
WHEREAS, in this role Associate Vice Chancellor Davis has provided education on cultural competence to create an inclusive environment and eliminate structural and implicit bias, and led a number of initiatives that examine the intersection of health sciences, racism, and marginalized populations; and,
WHEREAS, her critical work and fierce leadership not only serves the University of Pittsburgh, but also the broader Pittsburgh community, as we all benefit from a more diverse, inclusive and equitable city; and,
WHEREAS, Ms. Davis's extraordinary work was recognized in 2003 when she was honored with the Chancellor's Affirmative Action Award, and in 2023 when she won the Tracy Soska and John Wilds Outreach and Engagement Leadership Award for her contributions to community collaborations and strengthening institutional knowledge; and,
WHEREAS, Ms. Davis's colleagues noted that her special strengths include strategizing, de-escalation, ensuring that shared governance practices include those who do not always have a seat at the table; and,
WHEREAS, Ms. Davis's commitment to diversity in education extends beyond campus, and is reflected in her roles as director of the northeast region of the National Association of Medical Minority Educators, vice pr...
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