Karen Jackson-Weaver, Princeton University's associate dean for academics and diversity in the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School, was honored with Martin Luther King Day Journey Award on Jan. 21.

Jackson-Weaver has gained recognition for improving recruitments of minorities in the graduate school and promoting an amicable environment that helps them succeed in academics.

Martin Luther King Day Journey Award recognizes works of individuals from Princeton's management based on their positive influence on the campus.

She is a 1994 Princeton alumna who joined the University administration in 2007.

"Karen is as empathetic as she is savvy when it comes to helping young scholars navigate the demanding and, for some, disorienting world of graduate school. She is a valued mentor, who has touched and sometimes redirected lives," Princeton President Shirley M. Tilghman, said in a press statement.

While nominating Jackson-Weaver for the award, Dean of the Graduate School, William Russel, said that applications and yield for underrepresented minorities have grown and is more than the total number o f all domestic students.

In addition, Russel said that she worked with departments across the university to recruit as well as retain those students through mentoring and student groups.

"Growth in academic and social activities for minority students has transformed the spirit on campus and spawned similar professional development programming for the full graduate student body," Russel said. "Karen is a born leader with a passion for advancing diversity."

Jackson-Weaver was also responsible for developing programs such as the Graduate Women of Color Caucus or the Diversity Fellows program. This program aims to attract a wide range of students to its programs.

Through e-mail or phone calls, the members from this program encourage high school graduates or prospective students to choose Princeton University.