Betty Chavis, coordinator of outreach and ethnic programming in Michigan Tech's Department of Educational Opportunity, is the winner of this year's Clair M. Donovan Award for outstanding service, presented annually by the MTU Chapter of Blue Key National Honor Fraternity.
Chavis was presented the award at a recent Blue Key Honors Banquet by local chapter President Sarah Grant. The award commemorates Clair M. Donovan, who through his many years of service as national president of Blue Key, as an alumnus of Michigan Tech, and as a civic leader, made an immeasurable contribution to the public image and prosperity of Michigan Tech. The award is presented to a member of the MTU faculty, staff, or student body who has contributed the most outstanding service during the preceding year.
A native of Detroit, Chavis received a B.A. from Wayne State University, with a major in communications and a minor in social work. She began her career as a training leader and instructor for the mentally handicapped, then served as administrative assistant for State Senator Basil Brown, administrative director for the Highland Park Substance Abuse Clinic, and special projects assistant to Detroit City Councilwoman Barbara Rose Collins before coming to Michigan Tech in 1989 as a minority recruiter representative. She was named to her current position the following year.
At Michigan Tech, Chavis is chair of the Presidential Commission on Diversity and works with the Presidential Commission for Women and the Presidential Council of Alumnae. She has served on the search committees for several of the University's senior officers and is a member of the University Senate. She planned and organized Women's History Week on campus, and is perhaps best known for establishing the annual Parade of Nations, one of the Copper Country's favorite attractions.
One of her colleagues describes her thus: "Betty Chavis always puts forth an amazing effort. She manages to do her job requirements, including attending a multitude of meetings with staff, administration, and students, and at the same time she looks ahead and plants ideas of what needs to be done on campus to make life better and more interesting for everyone. When these ideas become real, it all seems natural--not the result of the extreme amounts of energy she invests in making dreams come true."
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04/15/99-mtn079