Marissa Porter awarded for fostering inclusive climate for students

Marissa Porter, graduate field assistant for the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, was recognized with Cornell Engineering’s Zellman Warhaft Staff Commitment to Diversity Award for diversifying and retaining the department’s student population through her work with several programs and initiatives, as well as for her role as a mentor.

The award is given by the Office of Diversity Programs in Engineering, which honored Porter and other awardees during the office’s Annual Awards Banquet on May 4.

Porter was recognized for work related to “improving the climate in her department, college and institution,” according to the awards website, which notes that she spearheaded the launch and development of MSE’s Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) initiative. JEDI aims to bridge the relationship between graduate students and department leaders to diversity the compositional makeup of the student population through recruitment efforts aimed at increasing Black, Hispanic and Indigenous students, among others.

Porter also aids MSE’s accountability and retention efforts by helping to create transparency about department statistics, leading orientations, and engaging in programming related to enhancing student mental health and belonging. She also works extensively to support REACT, a start-up initiative that offers science education to community teachers.

Porter supports every student in the department by serving as a resource, mentor and listener. A student nominator remarked, “When she is in the room, I feel safer knowing I can speak my thoughts and someone will acknowledge them.”

In a congratulatory letter to Porter, MSE chair Lara Estroff thanked her for everything she does to support students and the department, stating that “MSE is so very lucky to have you and I am delighted that your efforts in the DEI arena are being recognizing by the college.”