Current position: Multicultural Initiatives Coordinator

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Education: Western Illinois University - English and African Studies (undergrad) and University of Central Missouri-College Student Personnel Administration (grad school)

How has your leadership position helped support current UI students on campus?

My position works to directly impact the student experience, recruitment and retention of black students. My work also supports students from other minoritized groups because of the multicultural competence work I do within the Division of Student Life. My work as the chair of the Black Student Success Initiative directly impacts the support we give to Black students in the areas of academic success, career preparedness and sense of belonging. The work around creating a multiculturally competent organization impacts the student experience by encouraging staff to increase their multicultural knowledge and awareness, therefore enhancing their ability to better prepare our students to succeed in theirs.

What have you gained from this experience?

I have gained a better understanding of the student experience from those who are on the margins of our community. Marginalized students have gifted me with their narratives and I have gained a sense of responsibility to intervene in the collegiate environment to prevent further marginalization. I have also gained a sense of understanding around how to center the voices of the most vulnerable students in our community.

What are you most proud of in your time as a University of Iowa staff member?

I am most proud of the Being Black at Iowa: Student Retreat that we, as a Black Student Success Initiative project team, created and implemented mid-February of this year. Students who attended the retreat learned to identify a support system to help them maintain success at the University.

What do you hope your legacy on campus will be in future years?

I hope that when I leave, every staff member within the Division of Student Life continues to think critically about policies and procedures that marginalize, disenfranchise and minoritize groups of students. And upon reflection, staff members decide to center those voices and create change in policies and procedures in order to support our students holistically.