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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Mlk Jr. Award Given To Individuals, Company

Compiled By Maisy Fernandez

Washington State University recently recognized several people and one organization with its Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Award (continued from Wednesday):

Char Grimes, a WSU employee for 26 years, directs the College of Engineering and Architecture’s undergraduate student services office, which includes programs for under-represented engineering students. Grimes established the National Society of Black Engineers and the Society of Hispanic Engineers and is a consultant for the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. She created and directs the annual weeklong Bridge Workshop orientation for minority and women engineering students.

Tim Marsh, an assistant director of WSU News and Information Services, has been with the college for 10 years. He develops news media coverage about achievements of students, faculty and staff of color. Marsh is a member of the Palouse Asian American Association.

Bernard Oliver was appointed as WSU’s first African-American dean in 1991. Under his leadership, the number of students of color in the college of education has increased more than four times, and the number of faculty of color has increased more than 10 percent. He has been praised by the Washington Alliance of Black School Educators for outstanding leadership statewide, working with school districts to recruit faculty, staff and students from diverse backgrounds to WSU and supporting innovative research.

Washington Water Power was recognized for its significant financial support for the recruitment and retention of multicultural students at WSU.

Samuel Smith, WSU president, was honored for his leadership values that assure the university environment is supportive of diversity in general, including people of color.

Navy Lt. Jon A. Smith, son of Joseph A. and Ina K. Smith, Greenacres, has received his third Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal while serving with Commander Fleet Air Mediterranean in Naples, Italy.

He was recognized for outstanding performance as public affairs officer for Naveur Magazine. Smith’s coordination of media visits to deployed 6th Fleet units increased favorable coverage of Navy operations by both national and international media agencies. His management of the magazine’s TV program earned the Chief of Naval Information Merit Award for two consecutive years.

Smith, a 1984 graduate of Central Valley High School, joined the Navy in 1988. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.

, DataTimes MEMO: To tell us about your achievements, write to Achievements, The SpokesmanReview, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210, or 608 Northwest Blvd., Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.

To tell us about your achievements, write to Achievements, The SpokesmanReview, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210, or 608 Northwest Blvd., Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.