Two W.A. Franke Honors Leaders Receive 2024 Women of Impact Awards
The W.A. Franke Honors College is proud to celebrate Drs. Karna Walter and Nadia Alvarez Mexia, who have been recognized as 2024 Women of Impact by the Office of Research, Innovation & Impact at the University of Arizona.
Each year, women are selected from nominations across campus, and are chosen based on their commitment to the University of Arizona's purpose, mission and values, unique skills in driving discovery and innovation, community impact, and willingness to empower others.
Both Dr. Walter and Dr. Alvarez Mexia have contributed significantly to the flourishing of the Franke Honors College, especially in areas of community collaboration, service learning, and student success.
Dr. Walter, who serves as Assistant Dean for Student Engagement in the college, has been dedicated to building and developing multiple initiatives to enhance the Honors student experience, including creating pathways to undergraduate research and seeking scholarship partnerships. She also oversees The Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships at the University of Arizona, which is housed in Honors but assists all U of A students in pursuing prestigious external awards.
“She has encouraged me to tackle new challenges and has helped me define my career path after the University of Arizona,” said Emma Romano, a Franke Honors Senior. “I had the courage to apply to various master's programs because of her willingness to support me and help me work towards my future aspirations.”
In addition to her duties as Assistant Dean, Dr. Walter has also shown her dedication to the student experience through the creation of the Franke Forum. Here, Dr. Walter has brought together student leaders from across the college, uplifting student voices and helping students to boost participation and foster community in the Franke Honors College.
“I am so lucky to have Dr. Walter as a mentor as she has been committed to positively impacting students since day one,” continued Romano. Romano is a part of the Franke Forum, and has worked with Dr. Walter on a variety of initiatives, including Franke Fling, a student organized celebration that occurs in the spring.
Along with teaching as a Franke Honors Assistant Professor of Practice, Dr. Alvarez Mexia serves as Assistant Director of Learning Development and Community Impact. In the last year, Dr. Alvarez Mexia has worked hard to increase collaboration with the W.A. Franke Honors College and the rest of the University of Arizona campus, as well as the Tucson community. Recently, in partnership with a colleague from the Office of the Provost, she obtained a LGTBQ+ Faculty Research Grant for the project “FABULOUS in STE+AM: Fostering, Affirmation, Belonging and Unity for LGTBQ+ Student Opportunities, Understanding and Success.” Additionally, she collaborated with colleagues from U of A and obtained Director’s Funds from the Confluencenter for the project “Bridging Borders: Honoring Interdisciplinary Student Talent,” a series last spring that empowered Franke Honors arts and humanities students to showcase their work.
“She is creating a more inclusive and united Franke Honors community by expanding students' cultural and global perspectives through her GenEd class. It is impressive to see how engaged students are in the class discussions and how they are working together to create a seminar that will bring closer borderlands communities.” said Franke Honors student Andrea Hernandez. She is enrolled in HNRS 295G-001: Global Diversity & Voices, one of the courses that Dr. Alvarez Mexia teaches every fall semester.
Dr. Alvarez Mexia was also awarded the 2024 Valle del Sol Profiles of Success Hispanic Leadership Award, which is given to nominees who demonstrate achievement or a documented track record of leadership that is deserving of recognition.
“I consider her as a role model who has taught me through example, that with determination and proper collaboration every goal becomes achievable,” said Hernandez.
Dr. Karna Walter and Dr. Nadia Alvarez Mexia both exemplify the transformative power of leadership and mentorship in the W.A. Franke Honors College and beyond. Their recognition as 2024 Women of Impact highlights not only their individual accomplishments, but also their continued commitments to the students they serve.
Coming up on October 24, Dr. Walter and Dr. Alvarez Mexia, along with colleagues from the U.S. and Argentina, will be hosting the 2024 UR Inspiration Conference. UR Inspiration is a multilingual, virtual undergraduate research symposium co-hosted by the University of Arizona, Florida International University, the University of New Mexico and Universidad Nacional de Cuyo.
Workshops and presentations will teach students fundamental research concepts and effective methods for sharing research with a broader audience. Registration is open to all undergraduate University of Arizona students.