The Heather E. Adams Impact Award made a comeback in 2024 to recognize someone within the university community who made a difference for female and female-identifying individuals, not only regarding gender equity but also sexual and relationship violence support and response.
The award was established in 2017 when Heather Adams retired from after 30 years of service. It was created to honor her time, effort, and work.
Jennifer O’Connell, director of the Center for Sexual and Relationship Violence Support Services (SRVSS), said Adams observed the needs of women and female-identifying students, faculty, and staff on campus and introduced numerous opportunities and resources to these individuals.
The award used to be presented at ’s Women’s Center event, Mothers, Mentors, And Muses. After a hiatus caused by COVID-19, the award was included in the Women’s Center inaugural event, the Gender, Equity, Advocacy, and Representation (G.E.A.R.) Awards, held on March 19, 2024.
Chris Jenkins, interim director of public safety and chief of police, received the 2024 Heather E. Adams Impact Award for his work with SRVSS, the Women’s Center, and his own department.
Jenkins has known Adams for over 15 years. She was a mentor to him. He feels privileged to have been mentored and partnered with strong women and female-identifying leaders at the university to support causes from the centers.
“I was extraordinarily humbled to receive [the award], especially an award in [Adams’] name,” Jenkins said. “Sometimes you just do the work, and you don’t stop and reflect on the potential impact you might have had on other folks.”
Jenkins said policing can be a narrow profession, so he and his officers look for opportunities to engage and support the community to improve policing and assist other efforts at the university. O’Connell said Jenkins was active in helping the Women’s Center advisory board, the SRVSS committee, and the Take Back the Night event for many years.
He said that collaborating with SRVSS and the Women’s Center allowed him and his officers to have a seat at the table to recognize issues the community faces and leverage those relationships to support the students, staff, and faculty in ways the police department cannot.
“For several years, I was the only man on the [Women’s Center advisory] board,” he said. “At times, it could be discomforting, but they were all so gracious, and being a part of that group was a phenomenal time in my career.”
Jenkins has also mentored O’Connell since the first day she arrived on campus.
“He right away said, ‘Let’s schedule a time to have lunch so I can get to know you, you can get to know me, and the roles that we play on this campus,” O’Connell said. “He was really good about making sure that I understood some of the limitations the police department might have in terms of advocacy.”
Apart from Jenkins’ work with the centers, he recognizes the work of women officers and sexual relationship violence prevention and response. He frequently talks with officers about making sure they are empowering victims and those who have been impacted. He ensures the officers are providing them with resources, not assuming what happened, and asking questions, investigating, and finding the evidence to match what happened instead of dismissing someone’s story because of a lack of evidence at the time.
“He is always willing to help and be a part of things,” O’Connell said. “He is a champion of the missions of SRVSS and the Women’s Center.”