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The Civic Engagement Hall of Fame is an annual program sponsored by the President and the Center for Civic Engagement that recognizes individuals for their efforts in addressing social and environmental challenges facing communities. Inductees possess sustained commitment and passion for improving, assisting and helping organizations in need through their civic engagement efforts. Nomination categories include undergraduate student, graduate student, faculty, staff/administrator and alumni.
This years inductees and nominees are below:
Undergraduate Student Inductee, Camila Díaz
Camila Diaz is a Senior at Salem State University and is pursuing a Politics, Policy and International relations degree with a concentration in American Government, Law and Policy. Camila is involved on campus and is engaged beyond her academics. She is the President of Pre-Law Society, a Resident Assistant, a member of Theta Phi Alpha, a Program Assistant at the Berry IOP, and is involved in other organizations and clubs. Camila has a keen interest in immigration and is dedicated to uplifting marginalized voices. She is a big advocate of voter registration, civic engagement, education and access for people.
Camila’s Civic Engagement Hall of Fame community partner is Lifebridge - Seeds for Hope.
Graduate Student Inductee, Shane Beckmann
My name is Shane Beckmann (he/him) and I am a second-year Master of Social Work student at Salem State University. I hold undergraduate degrees in International Development and International Business from the University of Iowa. My career has afforded me the opportunity to engage many different people and communities, through work in community revitalization, community organizing, financial literacy, crisis intervention, TESOL, patient advocacy, and legislative advocacy. In my free time, I enjoy spending time outdoors, weekend road trips, TV Land classics and true crime documentaries, deciphering my new concertina, and spending time with my husband, Sharl, and my 2-year-old pup, Cedar.
Shane’s Civic Engagement Hall of Fame community partner is The Massachusetts Sickle Cell Association.
Faculty Inductee, Brad Austin
Brad Austin is a professor of history and history education at Salem State University, and he currently serves as the chair of the history department. As part of his job, he has spent the last twenty-plus years building partnerships with area history museums and organizations and working with dozens of school districts to help them teach difficult topics successfully. He has also provided leadership on the Lyon College (Arkansas) Board of Trustees, as an elected School Committee member for the Town of Littleton, and as a board member, president, and (now) chairperson of the board for the Decibels Foundation, a non-profit that exists to support Deaf/Hard of Hearing children and their families across Massachusetts. He lives in Littleton, Massachusetts, with his wife, LaGina, and his two daughters, Stella and Phoebe.
Brad’s Civic Engagement Hall of Fame community partner is the Decibels Foundation.
Staff/Administrator Inductee, Elisa Castillo
Dr. Elisa Castillo is now serving as the Assistant Vice President of Hispanic and Minority Serving Initiatives at SSU. She is part of the Inclusive Excellence team, and her goal is to prepare the university to become an HSI-MSI with a focus on “Servingness.” Her work is helping the campus consider the needs of Latinx and other underserved students to close equity gaps and help all students thrive.
Elisa is a licensed psychologist in MA, who in the past served as the associate dean of students for wellness at Salem State University. Her responsibilities included supervising counseling and health services, student wellness case management and resources for students at risk for hunger and homelessness or impacted by interpersonal violence. She co-led the campus pandemic response and assisted with student life health and safety protocols. Elisa has been in college mental health for 20 years and has focused on expanding culturally inclusive and trauma-informed wellness services to support the well-being and academic persistence of a diverse college student population.
Elisa received her BA in Psychology from the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez, and has a MA and PH.D. In Counseling Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She lives in Salem, MA with her family. She is the President of the Board of HAWC, the local domestic violence agency. She enjoys photography, yoga, hiking and her Chihuahua named Pedro.
Elisa’s Civic Engagement Hall of Fame community partner is the Lynn Hispanic Scholarship Fund.
Alumni Inductee, Marquis Victor
Marquis Victor is the founder and executive director of Elevated Thought. He leads ET's vision, goals, and mission. He believes "creativity is essential for human flourishing" and grounds his personal and professional pursuits in this perceived truth. Prioritizing a process of conversation, creativity, and collaboration, Marquis built and facilitated the art and social justice framework that serves as the foundation for all of ET's creative youth development work and support for artists of color.
In addition to being a poet and artist, Marquis has a Doctor of Education from Northeastern University with a focus on Organizational Leadership.
Marquis’ Civic Engagement Hall of Fame community partner is Elevated Thought.
2024 Civic Engagement Hall of Fame Nominees
Undergraduate Students
Angel Alexander
Cynthia Boyd
Miah Reyes
Graduate Students
Theresa Giard
Jaqueline Bagnera
Faculty
Marcos Luna
Dawn Stahura
Barbara Poremba
Staff/Administrators
Tara Gallagher
Alumni
Michael Corley
James McDonald
Alexander Booker
Erin Mayo
Jennifer Close
Andrea Baez
Jessica Giannino