Leon A. Henkin Citation for Distinguished Service

The Leon A. Henkin Citation for Distinguished Service is awarded by the Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Campus Climate (DECC) of the Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate.  It is given in recognition of an “exceptional commitment to the educational development of students from groups who are underrepresented in the academy.”

Leon A. Henkin was an Emeritus Professor of Mathematics who was a founder of the Committee on Special Scholarships in 1963, a Committee of the Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate whose goal was to enable students from underrepresented groups to attend and excel at the University of California, Berkeley.  Professor Henkin remained a member of this same but renamed Committee on Student Diversity and Academic Development until his death. (SDAD merged with the Status of Women and Ethnic Minorities to form the DECC in 2014).   Professor Henkin worked tirelessly throughout his career to increase equity and access to higher education, and to promote the academic, personal and professional success of Berkeley students from groups traditionally underrepresented in the academy.  He was the first recipient of this Citation from the Academic Senate, and the Citation bears his name as testimony to his distinguished service. 

The nominee for the Leon A. Henkin Citation shall be:

Any current or retired faculty member—or pairs/teams of faculty—Senate or non-Senate whose careers have been marked by a sustained effort to increase the academic success of students from groups traditionally underrepresented in academic disciplines.  DECC members are ineligible while serving on the committee.

Rudolfo Mendoza-Denton
Professor, Psychology

Dan Garcia
Teaeching Professor, Computer Science

Armando Fox
Professor, Computer Science

The Committee on Diversity, Equity and Campus Climate (DECC) has selected Professor Rudolfo Mendoza-Denton from the Department of Psychology, and Professor Dan Garcia and Professor Armando Fox from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, to be co-awardees of the 2025 Leon A. Henkin Citation for Distinguished Service. The citation is given in recognition of “exceptional commitment to the educational development of students from groups who are underrepresented in the academy.”


Professor Mendoza-Denton’s nominators emphasize the long-standing programmatic work he has collaboratively led with the Division of Mathematical and Physical Science, particularly to address the experiences of minoritized students in these programs. He is a dedicated mentor and has been recognized twice as a “Friend of the McNair Scholars Program.” Professor Mendoza-Denton was elected as a lifetime fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), in recognition of his “outstanding contributions to the science on the causes and consequences of prejudice and the identification of factors that serve to enhance academic success for individuals with historically minoritized identities.” He has made extensive contributions to the campus community, from directing the Greater Good Science Center to serving on the Chancellor’s Joint Senate-Administration Committee on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment and the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Student Mental Health. 

Professors Garcia and Fox were jointly nominated for their coordinated efforts in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the College of Engineering more broadly to implement equitable grading practices. These efforts were focused not only on improving outcomes for traditionally marginalized students, but also shifting the classroom culture to be more inclusive and beneficial to all students. Professor Garcia has worked with the Teaching and Resource Center's Universal Design for Learning working group, engaging with over 30 faculty and 60 GSIs from Anthropology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Linguistics, Math and Physical Sciences, Public Health, and Statistics, to make an impact on equitable teaching and grading across campus. Professor Garcia’s and Professor Fox’s students consistently speak to the intentional changes they made to their courses to create supportive learning environments in Computer Science that decreased unnecessary stress, demonstrated care, and centered authentic learning. Professors Garcia and Fox not only transformed their individual courses, but have led systematic, sustained change across computer science instruction, both on our campus and across the field.

History of the Leon A. Henkin Citation