Minjeong Kim, an undergraduate junior in Mechanical Engineering, received a 2024 North Campus Deans’ MLK Spirit Award at a ceremony on January 18, 2024.
The awards are hosted by the A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning; College of Engineering; Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design; and School of Music, Theatre & Dance, in collaboration with ArtsEngine and the Duderstadt Center as part of U-M’s MLK Symposium to honor and commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. King.
They are given to students, student organizations, staff, and faculty in North Campus schools and colleges at the University of Michigan who exemplify the leadership and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through their commitment to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion, including within the context of the pandemic and our reignited sense of urgency to address root causes of social injustice.
Kim – who is currently taking a semester away from the University to complete an internship at Blue Origin in fluids controls – recognized the need for a more inclusive community within the U-M Solar Car Team. So, she created the team’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. This team conducted a comprehensive climate survey, involving over one-hundred participants, that provided a platform for members to express concerns and offer suggestions, resulting in valuable insights into areas necessitating improvement in DEI.
“I’m thrilled to accept the MLK Spirit Award!” Kim said. “I am dedicated to fostering positive cultures and values, inspired by leaders like MLK. I firmly believe that open dialogue and mutual understanding serve as catalysts for meaningful and positive change.”
A full list of recipients for the 2024 North Campus Deans’ Spirit Awards can be found on the Michigan Engineering Office of Culture, Community and Equity’s website.