Angell Howard receives 2025 David A. Strand Diversity Achievement Award
Congratulations to Angell Howard, recipient of the 2025 David A. Strand Diversity Achievement Award.
Established by Illinois State President Emeritus David Strand in 1994, the award recognizes a current Illinois State University faculty or staff member who is instrumental in extraordinary curricular or program activities that assist the University in responding to its commitment to diversity.
Howard’s higher education journey began at Heartland Community College, eventually leading to two degrees from Illinois State —a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in social work. Currently, she is pursuing a doctorate in Higher Education Administration at Illinois State.
For more than 15 years, she has been a dedicated advocate for minoritized populations, focusing on equity-minded leadership, professional development, and inclusive spaces. Her career at Illinois State started as an academic specialist for TRiO/Student Support Services (SSS) and has evolved into her current role as associate director of professional development and staff recognition in the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. In these capacities, she has championed equitable practices and the advancement of both students and staff.
Howard has been a sought-after presence across numerous spaces on campus, invited to teach, advise, and support EDIA and leadership efforts. Her passion for EDIA stems from her experiences as a non-traditional, first-generation, Black woman on a predominantly White campus. Her work began during her graduate assistantship with the Julia N. Visor Center and Trio/SSS, where she created sessions on EDIA topics that reached across the campus. This commitment expanded into her consulting business, Necessary Change Consulting LLC, through which she collaborates with organizations and leaders nationwide to dismantle systemic barriers.
Currently, Howard facilitates a four-month, eight-session training called the “Redbird Edge: Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, & Antiracism Track,” developed with her Inclusion Change Team committee. This program immerses Illinois State staff in key EDIA topics through various lenses—history, policy, intersectionality—and explores their profound impacts on students, staff, and faculty. Participants gain a comprehensive understanding of EDIA complexities, enabling them to develop broader perspectives and make informed decisions in their work.
Howard’s dedication to equity and her drive to challenge traditional norms continue to transform higher education, inspiring meaningful progress and influencing those around her.
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