Jason Koski/University Photography

President David Skorton awarded Dining with Diverse Minds the 21st annual James A. Perkins Prize for Interracial Understanding and Harmony March 17 at Willard Straight Hall.

Dining with Diverse Minds – a project of Cornell Minds Matter and the ALANA (African Latino Asian Native American) Intercultural Board – received the 21st annual James A. Perkins Prize for Interracial Understanding and Harmony March 17 in Willard Straight Hall.

President David J. Skorton presented the $5,000 prize, which honors the Cornell individual or program making the most significant contribution to furthering the ideal of university community while respecting values of racial diversity.

Honorable mentions went to the Faculty Institute for Diversity and Breaking Bread.

For the past eight years, Dining with Diverse Minds events have brought together a varied group of 100-150 students, faculty and staff to promote understanding, respect and cooperation through open and honest dialogue. These events open with thought-provoking conversation by a lecturer or a performance, followed by table discussions guided by trained student facilitators. Natasha Khodykina ’17, event coordinator for Cornell Minds Matter, and Olivia Obodoagha ’15, resident of the ALANA Intercultural Board, accepted the award on behalf of Dining with Diverse Minds.

The Faculty Institute for Diversity – a project of the Center for Teaching Excellence – received honorable mention for its role in increasing diversity and inclusion in instruction. Since 2008, the institute has held intensive workshops that have helped 136 faculty members to infuse inclusive approaches into their teaching. Theresa Pettit, director of the Center for Teaching Excellence, and Kim Kenyon, associate director, received the certificate for honorable mention on the institute’s behalf.

The Breaking Bread program brings together students from different communities, identities, groups and organizations that otherwise might have few connections for dinner and a facilitated discussion. Renee Alexander ’74, associate dean and director of intercultural programs, accepted the honorable mention.

The Perkins Prize was created by Thomas W. Jones ’69, MRP ’72, to honor James A. Perkins, Cornell president from 1963-69. Jones, who attended the event, thanked Skorton for leading by example and moving the university community forward. Jones is senior partner of the private investment firm TWJ Capital LLC and has served on the Cornell Board of Trustees and on the Board of Overseers of Weill Cornell Medical College.