University of Denver Chancellor Rebecca Chopp announced today that Dr. Liliana Rodriguez will become the University’s first vice chancellor for Campus Life and Inclusive Excellence, effective July 1, 2015.
Rodriguez currently serves as associate dean of diversity, inclusion and community development at Swarthmore College in Philadelphia, where she manages residential life, student activities, international education, Greek life and student orientation.
“I am confident that Dr. Rodriguez will help build our community and make sure that all of our students, undergraduate, graduate and professional, will have the support they need to thrive at the University of Denver,” Chopp said.
Campus Life is the centralized hub for student resources and activities at the University of Denver. The division of Campus Life and Inclusive Excellence has been newly created to focus on the importance of the campus environment for all members of the community, to support student success and to ensure that inclusive excellence is at the heart of DU’s educational mission.
“I’m honored to join a community at the University of Denver that understands diversity and inclusion are integral to providing an excellent education,” Rodriguez said. “The skills needed to solve the issues facing our world require cultural understanding and interdisciplinary creativity. I’m impressed by the work that’s been done to articulate that vision for the University, and I’m eager to join that effort.”
At Swarthmore, Rodriguez implemented the school’s diversity and inclusion plan, merged student activities and residential life into a holistic Office of Student Engagement, and revamped the first-year orientation experience to focus on college values and shared responsibilities as community citizens. Prior to Swarthmore, Rodriguez was director of the multicultural Davis Center at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., where she redesigned the center’s vision, mission and offerings.
Rodriguez received her B.A. with honors in psychology from Williams College and her M.S. in clinical psychology and PhD in psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She has taught multiple courses in psychology, law and social justice. In addition, Rodriguez has worked in diversity recruitment and psychotherapy, including crisis and forensic mental health counseling.
“Dr. Rodriguez understands what it takes for students to be successful in the 21st century, and she will help push the University of Denver to even greater heights,” Chopp said.