In recognition of his advocacy for lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students, faculty and staff members, a
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point faculty member has been awarded the 2013
Dr. P.B. Poorman Award from the University of Wisconsin System.
Dejan Kuzmanovic, an associate professor of English,
recently received the award named for a UW System professor who was
instrumental in founding the system’s Inclusivity Initiative. It honors
excellence in advocacy, research, teaching or service on behalf of LGBTQ
communities within the UW System.
Kuzmanovic’s service at UW-Stevens Point is a reflection
of his commitment and desire to create a positive climate for everyone, said
English Department Chair Michael Williams. “Every aspect of his professional
life reflects his commitment to improving the lives of members of the LGBTQ
community,” he said.
At UW-Stevens Point, Kuzmanovic is a founding member of
the Faculty and Staff Gay-Straight Alliance, chairing its executive board for
five years. He has served as the UW-Stevens Point representative to the UW
System Inclusivity Initiative for LGBTQ since 2005 and is a member of the
university’s Inclusive Excellence Core Team. Kuzmanovic helped establish and
conducts workshops on becoming an LGBTQ ally, makes presentations on
inclusivity across the state and advocates for productive dialogues between
minority and majority groups.
In the classroom, he teaches specialized courses in
lesbian and gay literature and queer studies and has done extensive research on
queer literature. Kuzmanovic received a grant to participate in a National Endowment
for the Humanities seminar on Oscar Wilde and has contributed to the
“Encyclopedia of Lesbian and Gay Histories and Cultures.”
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