Campus Connection

Ives, Yang recognized for outstanding service to diverse populations

A pair of UWL staff members have been recognized for their outstanding service to diverse populations.

Andrew Ives, advising coordinator for UWL Student Support Services, received the Dr. P.B. Poorman Award for Outstanding Achievement on Behalf of LGBTQ+ People. The UW System award is given annually to LGBTQ+ people or allies who have helped create a safer and more inclusive climate for LGBTQ+ people.

Monica Yang, outreach manager for UWL’s Office of Multicultural Student Services, received the UW System’s Outstanding Women of Color in Education Award. It is given annually to faculty, staff, students or community members who have helped advance equity and inclusion for people of color within UW System, as well as in communities across the state.

Ives, Yang and the other award recipients were honored during a ceremony and reception in Madison Nov. 4.

Here’s more about Ives and Yang:

Andrew Ives

Ives began his career at UWL in 2014, serving as a graduate assistant for the Academic Advising Center.

Since, he has supported hundreds of students through his various roles in the Student Affairs and Diversity & Inclusion offices, working to create an environment of advocacy and empowerment to help students succeed.

Ives has also been heavily involved in the community.

As board president for The Center: 7 Rivers LGBTQ Connection, he has helped advance The Center’s strategic vision and developed sustainable funding sources for events and programs supporting LGBTQ+ people.

More recently, he has worked to establish safe and culturally inclusive spaces for runaway and homeless youth in the La Crosse area, in partnership with B.L.A.C.K., the La Crosse YWCA and Cia Siab Inc.

Monica Yang

Since joining UWL in 2013, Yang has provided pre-college and educational outreach services to families and students, and served as a liaison between school sites, communities, families and the university.

She has also worked to improve year-round and summer programs creating enrichment opportunities for more students.

In addition to her campus roles, Yang has served in leadership with Cia Siab Inc. and the Hmoob Cultural and Community Agency in La Crosse.

She hosted a radio program, “Txhawb Peb Cov Me Nyuam (Supporting Our Children),” during which she discussed educational issues affecting children and families in the U.S.

And, as an AmeriCorps member in the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Yang designed and facilitated college readiness curricula and established community partnerships to strengthen after-school programs.