Wheaton News

Trustee Indira Henard ’03 gives keynote address; three Wheaton community members honored

Indira Henard ’03 knows how to navigate challenges. She assumed the leadership of the DC Rape Crisis Center as its executive director during a time of struggle, and over the past decade, she revitalized the organization, transforming it into an essential part of the social safety net in the nation’s capital.

She credits her Wheaton experience for her approach to leadership.

“I learned that leadership needs to be diverse, it needs to be intersectional and it needs to engage a broad coalition of people,” said Henard, who was voted Washingtonian of the Year in 2021 for her work in saving the nonprofit.

A member of Wheaton’s Board of Trustees, Henard shared her vision of leadership as coalition-building while delivering the keynote address—“From the Valleys to the Mountaintops: Leadership for a Time Such as This”—at the college’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Celebration, which was held February 12 in Hindle Auditorium.

“I sat down with people who had completely different philosophies than me in order to save the nation’s oldest rape crisis center,” she said. “And that’s okay, because it isn’t about me. At the end of the day, it’s about centering humanity and serving survivors of sexual assault.”

In her opening remarks, President Michaele Whelan also touched on the collaborative and community-focused nature of leadership.

“As we honor the legacy of Dr. King tonight, let us not forget that the path of all leaders is ongoing and arduous,” she said. “It demands active participation from each of us to create a community that embraces diversity, fosters inclusivity, and respects the dignity of every individual—where care and affirmation are not the exception but the norm.”

The annual celebration, which began in 2016, illustrates the collective commitment to leadership that progress requires, in that it includes recognizing members of the campus community who have exemplified Dr. King’s values through their actions and leadership.

This year’s MLK Legacy Awards were presented to Pam Vaz, assistant to the president; Julie Searles, senior professor of the practice of music, and Student Government Association President Ajahni Jackson ’25.

Nominated by members of the Wheaton community, the award recipients were selected by a committee composed of members of the President’s Council and Diversity, Equity and Access Leadership (DEAL).

In the nomination, Vaz was recognized for embodying service through exceptional dedication to the college. “Often the unsung hero behind our success, they ensure that every detail is perfect—from orchestrating major institutional programs to supporting colleagues and comforting community members during difficult times. Their behind-the-scenes leadership has impacted every part of our community.”

Searles was lauded for showcasing the power of movement as both an art form and a profound medium of resistance and remembrance. “Their choreography reminds us that our bodies are not merely biological entities, but vessels of history and indicators of the future, carrying within them the rhythms of resilience and the melodies of memory.”

Awardee Jackson was recognized for their leadership roles in reviving the Black Student Association and founding the Film Collective. The nomination noted that “they have led with exemplary leadership, inspired their peers to engage and collaborate, ensuring that all voices are heard, and that we all strive toward a common, noble goal.”

For the event, students were invited to submit creative work that offered tangible reflection on Dr. King’s philosophies of equity, justice, peace, and radical love—a snapshot of their own experience around racial justice. All submissions were displayed in a Student Creativity Showcase. The entries were reviewed by a panel of students, faculty and staff members on the DEAL Education and Programming Committee, the director of the Center for Social Justice and Community Impact and the dean of the Marshall Center.

Zach Rakotomaniraka ’27 took first place; Tanvi Kshatriya ’26 finished second; and Raeah Thorington ’28 placed third. Each winner received a prize at the event.