CU Boulder graduate student’s volunteerism leads to community-informed teaching and mentoring

President’s Inclusive Excellence Award Winner

Connor Antonio Diaz, a fourth-year graduate student in the Department of Geological Sciences at CU Boulder, is striving to increase accessibility in STEM, improve pathways for underrepresented students and integrate inclusivity across educational, research and civic settings. By taking part in community and civic activities, he has learned strategies that inform his teaching and mentoring.

He volunteers for the Denver Special Education Advisory Committee, a Denver Public Schools advisory group dedicated to improving outcomes for students with disabilities through collaborative and intentional community engagement. His activities have included providing technical reviews of policy documents, presenting on research-based recommendations to city and state officials, and contributing to legislation (Colorado House Bill 25-1017) to protect the rights of people with disabilities.

Diaz also volunteers for the Gigi’s Playhouse network of Down Syndrome Achievement Centers, where he helps design STEM teaching modules, trains behavioral therapists in STEM integration and leads family-focused science events.

In his lab activities for an introductory geology course, Diaz implemented multimodal instruction – i.e., introducing concepts using visual, tactile and verbal approaches – to engage students in learning through multiple cognitive pathways, which can be helpful for students with ADHD.

Diaz is one of five 2026 President’s Inclusive Excellence Award Winners.