Communication Graduate Student Ora Stokes Honored for Academic Excellence

In April Western Michigan University School of Communication graduate student Ora Stokes was honored with the Thurgood Marshall Award at the 15th annual Graduate Diversity Information Day Luncheon, an event designed to strengthen academic diversity.
WMU's Graduate College presents the award to one outstanding student each year. Recipients are chosen by the college's Thurgood Marshall Committee and generally are individuals who have been instrumental in promoting diversity on WMU's campus and who display an exceptional academic and personal potential.
Stokes received a master's degree in organizational communication in April and was the recipient of a Thurgood Marshall Assistantship to support her studies at the University. That cash award is available to promising students from historically underrepresented groups.
According to Griselda Daniel, assistant to the dean and director of diversity programs in the Graduate College, Stokes was chosen for the award because she has gracefully and humbly surpassed the University's expectations with her exemplary academic achievements and contributions to the community.
Describing her graduate experience at WMU, Stokes, who is originally from Jackson, Miss., said she is setting a precedent for her family, and that her letter of acceptance into WMU's Graduate College marked the beginning of a journey she never will forget.