Representation Matters
We are creating a public list of faculty and staff of color who wish to act as a resource for the community. The list is intended to increase awareness and fellowship among our communities of color at KU in an effort to increase advocacy for diversity, equity and inclusion on campus. We hope this can serve as a valuable resource to highlight our vibrant KU communities of color and assist students, faculty and staff with a sense of belonging. Please fill out the form at the bottom of the page if you are interested in having your information included here. We are hopeful that it will encourage great conversations and opportunities for networking.
While we recognize and celebrate the importance of allyship, we'd like to create the list for those who self-identify as faculty/staff/administrators/GAs of color to highlight the diverse representation of communities on campus.
michael arias (he/his)
Assistant Director of Financial Aid Services
Race/Ethnicity: Latino/Puerto Rican and Colombian
Additional Campus Affiliations: Advisor of Lambda Theta Phi, Kutztown Associate Chapter
Message to students: "'Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.' The Road Not Taken--Robert Frost."
Email: arias@kutztown.edu
Jennifer Castro (she/her)
Director of Undergraduate Admissions
Email: castro@kutztown.edu
maria N. de la cruz (she/her)
Assistant Director of Residence Life for Programming and Leadership Development
Additional Campus Affiliations: Student Alliance for Learning Success and Achievement (SALSA), Black Student Union (BSU), Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc.
Email: delacruz@kutztown.edu
laura fahy-leo (she/her)
Associate Director of Admissions
Email: fahyleo@kutztown.edu
dr. marlene nanouh fares (she/her)
Department Chair and Assistant Professor of Academic Enrichment
Race/Ethnicity: Middle Eastern/Arab
Additional Campus Affiliations: Advisor of Women in Politics club; Faculty in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies minor; Chair of KU APSCUF Social Justice committee
Email: fares@kutztown.edu
Albert Fu (he/him)
Professor of Anthropology and Sociology
Email: afu@kutztown.edu
jason garcia (he/his)
Director of Campus Events and Programs in Conference and Event Services
Email: jgarcia@kutztown.edu
malcolm huggins (he/his)
Director of Alumni Engagement at Kutztown University Foundation
Additional Campus Affiliations: supporting Achievement Initiative for Male Success (AIMS) program
Email: huggins@kuf.org
ko-hsin hsu
Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
Additional Campus Affiliations: Advisor to Chinese Student and Scholars Association (CSSA) and advisor to Criminal Justice Association
Message to students: "I am from Taipei, Taiwan about 20 years ago. I've lived in College Park, Maryland (right outside Washington DC), Newark, New Jersey (near NYC), and now in Pennsylvania with my family."
Email: hsu@kutztown.edu
mahfuzul khondaker (he/his)
Professor of Criminal Justice
Race/Ethnicity: South Asian
Message to students: "Never feel alone. Together we are strong."
Email: khondake@kutztown.edu
heather hope kuruvilla (she/her)
Adjunct Instructor and Program Coordinator in Department of Art Education
Message to Students: "My door is always oepn to students looking for a place to sit and chat about anything or nothing. My educational and professional background includes museums, arts organizations, nonprofits, and law school, so if you have any questions about any of those fields, that is welcome as well!"
Email: kuruvilla@kutztown.edu
stacy kushner (she/her)
Secretary for Mathematics Department
Email: kushner@kutztown.edu
jazmine lord (she/her)
Graduate Assistant for the Health & Wellness Center
Race/Ethnicity: Black
Additional Campus Affiliations: Clinical Mental Health Counseling Student
Message to Students: "I know that it can be tough in a new place with new people where you look around and feel like an outsider. I am passionate about mental health in my community, and I advocate for the normalization of that tour conversation. If you ever need a listening ear or a mentor of sorts, I am always available and my door in the health center is always open. You deserve to be here too!"
Email: jlord538@live.kutztown.edu
bernard mccree
Director of Financial Aid Services
Additional Campus Affiliations: Achievement Initiative for Male Success (AIMS); Mentor to Men's Basketball Team; work with PROFS students and students who have been involved with STARS
Message to students: "My door is always open to our students. It is my hope to be a resource to our students in every way possible."
Email: mccree@kutztown.edu
angelica mishra (she/her)
Assistant to Chief Diversity Officer and Office Manager for Multicultural Center
Race/Ethnicity: Indian and White
Message to students: "Visit us anytime at the Multicultural Center! We are here to support you. Your voice matters! Take things day by day, surround yourself with a great network of people, and enjoy learning as much as you can. Take the time to explore your own identity and experience as well as those of your peers. We want to help make your KU experience as amazing as possible."
Email: mishra@kutztown.edu
giovanni negron-garcia
Student & Leadership Graduate Assistant at Multicultural Center and PASSHE DEI Graduate Research Assistant
Message to students: "Your voice and presence has power on a college campus. College is time for you to explore and transform into the best version of yourself. Do not rush the journey and enjoy every moment that you can. Continue being golden!"
Email: gnegr538@live.kutztown.edu
alyssa oakley, LSW, MSW (she/her)
Coordinator for Student Success & First-Year Experience in the Center for Student Success & Academic Excellence
Race/Ethnicity: Black and White
Message to students: "I am a two-time graduate of Kutztown University and have a background as a former student athlete. Drawing upon my own experiences, I am committed to providing academic assistance to students. If you find yourself unsure of where to begin, visit me in Rohrbach Library 11. Together, we can develop a personalized plan to ensure your academic success! I look forward to meeting you. :)"
Email: alyoakley@kutztown.edu
amber jean-marie pabon, phd (she/her)
Associate Professor of Secondary Education and Director of Frederick Douglass Institute
Race/Ethnicity: Black and also a Francophone
Additional Campus Affiliations: Emerging Educators of Color, Student Success
Message to students: "Students, you are important, valued, and loved. I strongly believe gaining knowledge of self; including understanding our identities, histories, contributions, and legacies is an important part of your experience. I am here to support students interested in exploring more about social inequality, race/racism, gender dynamics/politics, and how to navigate these challenges on campus and in the world with mindfulness. Please feel free to reach out."
Email: pabon@kutztown.edu
alexis peoples (she/her)
Application Developer in Information Technology
Message to students: "Use your resources and ask for help when you need it!"
Email: peoples@kutztown.edu
christine b. price (she/her)
Director for Women's Center and Director for LGBTQ+ Resource Center
Additional Campus Affiliations: Advisor to ALLIES, Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA), KU It's on Us student chapter, Friends of Rachel, and Climbing Club
Message to students: "My door is always open. We're here for YOU."
Email: price@kutztown.edu
melinda quiñones-arias (she/her)
Director of Multicultural Services and Center
Additional Campus Affiliations: Founder & Mentor to SISTERs; Diversity Council Advisor; Commission on Human Diversity; KU Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (JEDI) Committee Member; Pennsylvania State Athletics Commission DEIJ Committee Member, and other university collaborations
Message to students: "Everyone is always welcome at the Multicultural Center. I am a firm believer that representation matters. As a Latina/x/e (Puerto Rican), Woman of Color, Mentor, Wife, Mother, Daughter, Sister, Student, and Friend, First Generation, I strive to uplift, support, and make changes when and where possible. My favorite quote is from Maya Angelou:
'I've learned that people will forget what you said
People will forget what you did
But people will never forget how you made them feel.'
My door is always open."
Email: quinones@kutztown.edu
dr. thomas N. robinson iii
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Additional Campus Affiliations: Delegate, KU-APSCUF Union
Message to Students: "I teach Psychology of the Black Experience, Intro to Multicultural Studies, Psychology of Race & Racism (coming in approx. 2025), as well as several developmental psychology and senior seminar in psychology courses. I conduct research in areas that examine the potential role that cognitive and psychosocial processes, cultural, ethnic and racial identity, as well as race, racism, gender, and sexism may have on broader sociocultural and sociopolitical attitudes and interests. I also advise clinical internships (for psychology majors) and I help run and advise the academic minor 'Multicultural Studies in the United States'. This minor, which complements virtually every academic major on campus, has only two required courses: 1) Intro to Multicultural Studies; 2) either an internship or a directed research project, and 4 elective courses across the social sciences and humanities. Please email or see me (during the spring or summer semesters) if you are interested in learning more about the MCS minor."
Email: robinson@kutztown.edu
Genaro Robles (he/him)
Assistant Director of Admissions for Hispanic/Latino Recruitment
Additional Campus Affiliations: liaison for Honors program
Email: robles@kutztown.edu
dr. lindsey runell (she/her)
Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
Race/Ethnicity: Black
Additional Campus Affiliations: Co-chair, Commission on the Status of Minorities
Email: runell@kutztown.edu
bilal salaam
Athletics Diversity & Inclusion Officer and Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Race/Ethnicity: Black/Native American
Additional Campus Affiliations: Inclusion, Diversity, & Equity in Athletics (IDEA); Black Student Union (BSU); Kutztown University Black Alumni (KUBA); Achievement Initiative for Male Success (AIMS)
Message to students: "Former professional athlete, world traveler, KU Alumnus and KU Hall of Fame inductee. My door is open to everyone and especially those of whom I represent. When they see you they see me and as the African proverb states 'If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together.' Together starts with community, a commitment to unity."
Email: salaam@kutztown.edu
andres velasquez (he/his)
Assistant Director of Admissions
Additional Campus Affiliations: Student Alliance for Learning Success and Achievement (SALSA); Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity Incorporated
Message to students: "I am a PROUD alumni of Kutztown University, I co-advise SALSA, and I'm also the Alumni Advisor for Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity Incorporated. In my undergrad years here at KU, I hosted many student activities promoting cultural awareness and diversity uniquely and entertainingly. I'd love to help and support any organization with planning and organizing an event on campus. LET'S make it happen!"
Email: avelasquez@kutztown.edu
Cesar velasquez, jr (he/his)
Faculty Counselor
Message to students: "Always open to helping or supporting in any way I can!"
Email: velasquez@kutztown.edu
veronique vlaun
Honors Administrative Assistant
Email: vvlau024@live.kutztown.edu
mandy xu (she/her)
New Student Engagement and Support Graduate Assistant in Residence Life, Housing, and Dining
Race/Ethnicity: Eastern Asian (Chinese)
Additional Campus Affiliations: Transfer Community/Council
Message to students: "Hello, my name is Mandy Xu and I'm currently studying Student Affairs at the Graduate Level here at KU. Growing up as an Asian American in a Chinese household has allowed me to appreciate and build a bridge between two different cultures that surround me. Growing up bilingual speaking both Mandarin and English presented some challenges but now I value this skill as an opportunity to interact with others to develop more of that cultural exchange. If you are a student who may have experienced something similar, please reach out. I would love to interact and get to learn more about your journey to KU."
Email: manxu@kutztown.edu
Please fill out this form if you are interested in having your name included in this list!