The Franklin College Center of Diversity & Inclusion recently honored the recipients of its annual Women of Distinction Awards in recognition of National Women’s History Month. This year marks a decade of celebrating women who have excelled, persevered and paved the way for others through their professional leadership, volunteer service and civic and campus engagement.

Nominees and guests gathered on March 12 for a celebratory brunch, where they had the opportunity to support one another and hear from keynote speaker Carolina Castoreno, Director of Operations & Programming for the Indiana Latino Expo, who delivered an inspiring message.

Each year, the Franklin College community is invited to nominate outstanding women on campus, as well as members of the local community, for this distinguished honor. A panel of judges selects a winner in each of the four categories––student, faculty, staff, and community member, with the winners being recognized with a commemorative plaque.

Marlisha Marcellin, Ph.D., Director of the Center of Diversity & Inclusion, and Kandra Sejas, Assistant Director of Engagement, respectively, presented the awards. Below are the winners in each category, shown from left to right in the attached photo.

Student: Cara Mullen from Carthage. Mullen is a senior majoring in philosophy, political science and pre-law.

Staff: Haedyn Scgalski. M.A.Ed., of Franklin. Scgalski joined the college in 2019 and is the associate director of admissions. She graduated from Franklin College in 2016 and earned her Master of Arts in education from Baldwin Wallace University.

Community Member: Marti Schrock of Franklin. A Franklin College alumna, Schrock graduated in 1993 with a degree in journalism. She joined the college staff in 2001, serving in various roles throughout her tenure. After more than two decades of dedicated service, she retired in 2023 as the executive secretary for student development.

Faculty: Kyra Noerr, Ph.D., of Indianapolis. Noerr joined the college in 2013 and is the program director and associate professor of exercise science at the college. She earned her Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and doctorate from Indiana University-Purdue University (IUPUI) in Indianapolis.

“As an institution, we strive to educate our campus community on local, regional and global issues,” Marcellin noted. “We take pride in celebrating diverse cultures and heritages, but we also recognize the importance of honoring those within our own community. Our theme this year was “Resilience,” inspired by the strength and flexibility of bamboo—bending but never breaking, even in the face of adversity. We sought nominations for women who embody this resilience—those who have overcome challenges, led with courage, and paved the way for others. Right here on our campus and in our community, incredible women are making a meaningful impact through their dedication and hard work. It is a privilege to come together to celebrate and express our gratitude for their invaluable contributions.”

The public celebration of women’s history in the United States began in 1978 as “Women’s History Week.”  In 1987, Congress expanded the celebration to a month and March was declared Women’s History Month.

For more information, contact the Office of Communications at (317) 738-8185.