Renée K. Nicholson, director of the WVU Humanities Center, is the recipient of the 2024 Neil S. Bucklew Social Justice Award presented by the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Named in honor of the University’s 21st president, Neil S. Bucklew, this prestigious award is presented annually to a University faculty or staff member who demonstrates outstanding leadership, courage and support in social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion.
“Professor Nicholson is committed to developing and presenting programming that raises the voices of communities that often go unheard.” Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Meshea L. Poore, Esq. said “Her efforts provide an opportunity to hear, see and celebrate the beauty of various perspectives and experiences.”
Jason D. Kapcala, assistant director of captioning and interpreting for the Office of Accessibility Services said he has been amazed at Nicholson’s efforts in powerfully transforming the identity of the WVU Humanities Center and its offerings to the larger WVU community. “Since accepting the position of director, she has not merely gestured toward diversity and social justice by adding a few underrepresented speakers to the Center’s programming. Rather, she has committed to a vision where diverse voices are the voices of WVU,” Kapcala said.
Nicholson is a known and celebrated writer, educator, narrative medicine scholar and disability advocate. She received her master’s degree in creative writing from WVU and a Certificate in Narrative Medicine from Colombia University. She also earned a bachelor’s degree in English/creating writing from Butler University.
Nicholson’s interdisciplinary project, “The Value of Expressive Storytelling/Writing on Quality of Life” was a grant-funded collaboration with the School of Medicine to capture the experiences of cancer patients in Appalachia. This project, as well as similar follow-up work with HIV patients in Appalachia, earned her the 2018 Susan S. Landis Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts at the West Virginia Governor’s Arts Awards and the 2019 Eberly College of Arts and Sciences’ Outstanding Public Service Award.
She also is the 2020 winner of the Nicholas Evans Award for Excellence in Advising. Additionally, she hosts numerous events, workshops and other activities each semester, which promote writers, artists and scholars of color with disabilities, within the LGBTQ community and from Indigenous communities.
Bonnie M. Brown, Native American Studies program coordinator, praised Nicholson’s efforts to honor and amplify diverse creative expression and perspective from historically underrepresented groups. “She unceasingly offers encouragement, guidance and support to diversity-centered programming, but her overall dedication to social justice is ever present in her energetic, successful leadership of the Humanities Center,” Brown said.
During Nicholson’s directorship, the Center has collaborated with the African Studies Workshop, the Environmental Humanities Reading Group and the Appalachian Studies Working Group. Under her leadership, the Center focuses on projects that create social and political change and support affiliates who study high-risk populations in low-tech communities.
As the recipient of the 2024 Neil S. Bucklew Social Justice Award, Nicholson will receive $2,500 that may be used for professional development or directed to one of several worthy WVU Foundation accounts.