Thomas L. Keon, PhD Chancellor, Purdue University Calumet

The INSIGHT Into Diversity Giving Back Award honors college presidents and chancellors who go above and beyond their everyday duties to give back to their institutions and communities. Chancellor Keon was nominated by colleagues and selected by INSIGHT Into Diversity as a 2016 Giving Back Award recipient for his dedication to promoting diversity and inclusion and encouraging community service both on his campus and in the surrounding community. 

Civic Involvement
Board member for the Urban League of Northwest Indiana, an organization aimed at promoting, encouraging, and enhancing services to improve the social, educational, and economic conditions for minority groups in the local community

Support for Programming
Step Up! Bystander Intervention, a program that seeks to empower and mobilize participants by training them to recognize, intervene, prevent, and stop inappropriate comments, actions, and behaviors to create an environment in which all are respected

The Importance of Diversity
As part of his plan to foster a diverse and inclusive campus, Keon requires that all university employees, including student workers, complete diversity and inclusion training within three months of their start date. This training explains the importance of diversity and inclusion in employees’ daily work and personal lives.

Awards and Recognitions
Awarded the Workforce Diversity Award in recognition of exemplary performance in diversity and inclusion at Purdue University Calumet; a testing lab named the Thomas L. Keon Testing Center to honor his leadership accomplishments as dean of the College of Business Administration at the University of Central Florida

Nomination Excerpt
“Chancellor Keon was a first-generation college student, and through the challenges he experienced, he has made it one of his goals [to keep] the cost of a college education reasonable. Purdue University Calumet is now ranked second [as one of the] cheapest colleges in Indiana for in-state tuition. Chancellor Keon’s ability to put himself in the shoes of another and tactfully guide them on the path to success is a trait that not only makes him a socially responsible leader, but also an impactful leader.”