Upstate Diversity Leadership Awards

The Riley Institute partners annually with the Greenville Chamber and other chambers of commerce in the Upstate to celebrate outstanding contributions in diversity. Winners of the awards, both individuals and organizations, are role models in promotion of diversity, receiving awards in the following categories:

• Calder D. Ehrmann Outstanding Individual: An individual who demonstrates a high degree of success in promoting diversity and inspires others to embrace diversity in the community.
• William “Bill” T. Wylie VALUED Lives Award for School Excellence (K-12 School): A school that incorporates valued practices of diversity into its vision and mission and promotes these principles beyond the walls of the school, demonstrating that all students, faculty, and staff are important and have the potential to succeed.
• Outstanding High School Student: A high school student who is viewed as a diversity champion and demonstrates a leading role in promoting diversity in the school environment or within the community.
• Outstanding College Student: A college student who is viewed as a diversity champion and demonstrates a leading role in promoting diversity in the campus environment or within the community.
• Outstanding Nonprofit Organization: A nonprofit or civic organization that focuses on integrating diversity practices in the services provided to its community.
• Outstanding Business: A business that internally models diversity management and serves as a community diversity champion.

About the Upstate Diversity Leadership Awards

The annual Upstate Diversity Leadership Awards originated as a community action project in the Diversity Leaders Initiative 2004 Upstate class. The community action project team, “Inclusion Infusion,” suggested an annual event that would recognize organizations and individuals for their accomplishments in improving diversity and inclusion in the Upstate. The idea was adopted by the Riley Institute and the Anderson, Greenville, and Spartanburg Chambers of Commerce, all of which have had representatives complete the Riley Institute’s Diversity Leaders Initiative program.