Whether learning alongside peers on the PennWest Edinboro campus, tutoring fellow honors students, or completing field observations at local schools, junior education major Gavin Mitsdarfer is committed to creating classroom environments filled with empathy, openness and understanding.

Mitsdarfer, a member of the LGBTQ+ community whose pronouns are he/they, was presented with the 2024 Keepers of the Flame Award from Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education during the PASSHE Summit held Monday, Oct. 28, at Millersville University.

“As a friend, colleague and supporter, Gavin consistently shows kindness, empathy and a genuine desire to uplift others,” a nominator said. “Their unwavering commitment to fostering a more inclusive environment at PennWest Edinboro is genuinely inspiring.”

The annual Diversity, Equity and Inclusion award recognizes an individual from each of the 14 State System campuses for their contributions to building and maintaining diverse, equitable and inclusive environments that cultivate a sense of belonging.

Mitsdarfer joins Kyle Bennett, a senior mechatronics major from PennWest California, and Dr. Natasha Dias, assistant professor of biology, earth and environmental sciences from PennWest Clarion, as the 2024 honorees from PennWest.

“Keepers of the Flame are truly special people who embody a commitment to promoting environments that cultivate a sense of belonging,” said Sheleta Camarda-Webb, chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer at PennWest. “These three individuals we celebrate strive to improve the human, social and organizational conditions in and around the university, including those that address historical inequities.”

In addition to several student leadership roles on campus, Mitsdarfer serves as a community assistant and oversees the Honors Living Learning Community at Edinboro.

As a founding member of the Student Honors Advisory Board, he has contributed to the development of service programs, student engagement initiatives and professional development opportunities aimed at fostering a diverse and inclusive student body.

“Being a support person for the people that live on campus is very important to me. I’ve dealt with people struggling with their identity, and just having someone that’s confident and doesn’t care what other people think is important,” Mitsdarfer said. “Fostering an element of diversity – no matter where you are – not only makes people feel welcome, but it brings so many different perspectives to every single situation that you're in.”

The Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, native serves on multiple executive boards, including the PennWest Edinboro Student Pennsylvania State Education Association and the PSEA Legislative Committee. He was elected Zone 1 director of the National Education Association Aspiring Educators Caucus and is an active advocate for the paid student teaching stipend program, making a significant impact on aspiring educators across Pennsylvania, all while maintaining an impressive 4.0 GPA.

“Beyond their academic achievements and leadership roles, Gavin's capacity to build meaningful relationships and drive positive change is truly exceptional,” the KOTF nominator said. “Their kindness, empathy, and genuine desire to uplift others make them a valuable asset to the PennWest Edinboro community.”

Mitsdarfer is passionate about advocating for the student teaching stipend, which is designed to address the financial strain caused by student teaching requirements. In addition to reducing the teacher shortage, he hopes it will encourage more diversity among educators in Pennsylvania.

“Bringing a diverse workplace and community, especially within schools, is so important, so that students of every race, of every gender, of every gender identity, every sexuality feel included and feel that they're supported,” Mitsdarfer said.

Having faced episodes of bias, discrimination and marginalization, Mitsdarfer wants to be a comforting, supportive presence for his future students.

“It's something that I've dealt with for a long time growing up. I dealt with it as a student, and I knew going into education was going to be difficult,” they said. “Even though I go through that adversity, I'm there for a reason: To be there for the students who need to see someone like themselves.”