Keisha Norris, Assistant Director of Academic Advising and Diversity Initiatives at CEC, was recently awarded the 2023 Dean's Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

"Keisha genuinely cares for our students," said Dr. Beena Sukumaran, Dinesh and Ila Paliwal Dean of Miami's College of Engineering and Computing. "She wants every one of our students to succeed, grow and thrive in the college. She is also a tireless advocate for our programs in engineering and computing and would like to make the degree accessible to every student."

When Keisha's award announcement went out on Miami CEC's Instagram, students
responded with a deluge of praise and appreciation for "Ms. Keisha" and her work.

Keisha, or "Ms. Keisha," as she is known by many students, is a revered figure in the halls of CEC. The impact she has had on Miami students lasts long after graduation. For example, Jerron Gray '22, Engineering Management, had this to say about Keisha's impact on him personally:

"Ms. Keisha is the reason I graduated Miami University and I have given her credit for this on multiple occasions but I am even happier to do so now in celebration of her award. She deserves it for doing something that not all advisors do, which is take interest in both my education at Miami and my goals in life. I have spent many hours in her office talking things over about the new path that I wanted to take due to my desire to change majors. Every time I went in to that office lost and uncertain, I always left with a plan and a feeling of comfort about my future. I could write more on the greatness of Ms. Keisha, but that might take writing a whole article myself. I appreciate every word of advice Ms. Keisha has given and I wish her a continued bright future as she has given me."

When asked how she feels about the students she works with, Keisha Norris is just as appreciative. "I like engineering students: how they get to be creative, how they think about the projects that they get to do," she said. "I also always love it when they're helping others. I like the progress that they make. Our students build great things."

What is Keisha's goal in her work with students? "My goal as an advisor, of course, is graduation," said Keisha. "But my real goal, I think, is the development of a sound person. A good, confident, caring person. I always save the pictures of students who are freshmen, and then by senior year I show it to them and say, 'Look at where you were. Think about the person you were. You're still the same person, but because of your confidence, your ability to make sound decisions, your faith in yourself and your trust in yourself, you've become this grown-up now and you are ready for life. You're ready for the next chapter to go out and do and be great.'"