Lancaster, PA (June 19, 2012) The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce & Industry and

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Allison Bucher Communications Manager p. 717.397.

1 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Allison Bucher Communications Manager p Champion of Diversity Award Recipients Announced Award presented by The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce & Industry and The Urban League of Lancaster County Lancaster, PA (June 19, 2012) The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce & Industry and The Urban League of Lancaster County are proud to announce the recipients of the 2012 Champion of Diversity Award Dr. Melvin R. Allen and the Lancaster Theological Seminary. The recipients were selected because of their commitment to building bridges between diverse communities, empowering others to improve their life and promoting inclusion in the local community. Dr. Melvin R. Allen is an educator, attorney and social activist. He was a tenured professor of philosophy at Millersville University from 1969 until he retired in June 2011, teaching a wide array of philosophy courses with specialization in theories of justice and the philosophy of law. While at Millersville he led the efforts to diversify admissions to make equal educational opportunity a reality for students of color helping him to obtain major

2 2012 Champion of Diversity Award/Page 2 of 5 public and private grants to allow pre-college intervention beginning at the ninth grade to ensure higher success rates. He also collaborated with community organizations and businesses to establish grass roots educational enrichment programs in Lancaster City, Columbia Borough and elsewhere, and founded the Project Forward Leap Foundation. He was appointed to serve as the first chairperson of Millersville s Commission for Cultural Diversity and helped establish an institute for embracing civic engagement and social justice being named the Executive Director of the Civic and Community Engagement and Research Project in His leadership resulted in the following centers or offices: The Walker Center for Civic Responsibility and Leadership, Entrepreneurial Leadership Center: The Center for Public Scholarship, The Center for Public Impact and the Office for Experimental Learning and Career Management. In addition to his tenure at Millersville, Dr. Allen also was instrumental in social activism which began when he founded the Black Student Association while studying for his undergrad at Millersville University. He has written and presented extensively on the challenge of equal education and other social justice topics; served on numerous national, regional and local boards, such as the Lancaster County Board of Assistance, Planned Parenthood, Lancaster Boy s Club and the Lancaster Crime Commission; and has engaged in extensive pro bono legal activities for needy individuals and controversial causes. Dr. Allen completed a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Millersville University and a Juris Doctor at the Dickinson School of Law, He studied for his Ph.D. at

3 2012 Champion of Diversity Award/Page 3 of 5 Temple University and did advanced study at the University of Vienna and Harvard University. He is married to Sharyn Heckman and has three children and six grandchildren. The second award recipient, the Lancaster Theological Seminary, has been dedicated to diversity and multiculturalism for decades. Since 1964 students in their Master of Divinity program have been required to participate in a multi-week experience of learning in cross-cultural context bringing the students together with people from across the world. They hold an African American Heritage Celebration in February where they sponsor lectures, concerts, fellowship and worship focused on the many contributions of African American theologians to religious discourse, understanding and practice. In November, the Seminary participates in lectures and activities that deepen their awareness of the LGBTQ community, and was an early proponent of supportive dialogue and action for a broader understanding of sexual orientation. They sponsor guest lecturers during Disabilities Week who ve led them in study and conversation around the many issues that surround this complex topic that affects people in various ways. The institution also held the Cultural Reflections on African American Religious Experience: A Forum for Emerging Thoughts bringing established and emerging African American scholars to campus, and during 2010 and 2011, Seminary faculty and staff worked with church leaders across the world to create a more welcoming space within their faith traditions examining themselves for not only accessibility of space, but also of their use of language and rituals.

4 2012 Champion of Diversity Award/Page 4 of 5 Built on the early foundations learned by visiting others, the institution has partnered with the YWCA to create the Anti-Racism Institute. The program will bring together members of the Lancaster community with Seminary students, faculty, staff and trustees, and will be designed to educate participants about the work of dismantling racism in their lives and communities. All of this has grown from the Seminary s commitment to seek increasing diversity within their student body. Recent statistics note, from 2006 to 2012, the number of students of color has risen from 13% to 24% and the number of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students has risen from 7% to 18%. This increase in diversity affects most every aspect of their institution. More voices are present in the classroom, which raises creative learning opportunities for students and teaching possibilities for faculty. The Seminary is associated with advocacy for ecumenical relationships, and this is reflected in the student body, which in the last five years has hailed from twenty-two denominations. Diversity in chapel is seen at each service, rather than only on highlighted awareness weeks. Their diversity is a mark of commitment to diversity. The Lancaster Theological Seminary is a graduate school for theology whose mission is to educate Christian leaders for church and society offering a wide range of educational opportunities beyond the degree programs.

5 2012 Champion of Diversity Award/Page 5 of 5 The community is invited to help recognize the award recipients at the 2012 Equal Opportunity Day on Thursday, June 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Hamilton Club. The cost to attend is $25. To register, contact The Urban League of Lancaster County at

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