Staff spotlight: The Centers leaders
The Centers for Student Equity, Empowerment, and Belonging, a group of affinity and identity-based offices overseen by the Office of the Dean of Students, officially came together under a new name this summer. Along with a new name, the Centers welcomed two new offices and three new directors to campus.
The Centers is composed of eight offices working together to support Cornell students who may be facing additional barriers that impact how they connect with and experience life on campus. Each office within the Centers offers signature programming tailored to their specific communities as well as internship opportunities and workshops.
Get to know the leaders who run the Centers, and hear what they’re most excited about this year.
Gender Equity Resource Center (GenEq)
Guided by Shura Gat, Associate Dean of Students & Director of the Gender Equity Resource Center, GenEq strives for education, empowerment and strength for women and gender-expansive students. The center, formerly named the Womens Resource Center, works to champion gender justice from an inclusive and intersectional place that acknowledges and supports individuals across their multiple identities.
Throughout this academic year, the office will be celebrating 50 years of empowering women and gender expansive students at Cornell, highlighting past accomplishments and looking toward a future of greater gender equity on campus and around the globe.
This year they welcomed a fabulous new Assistant Director to the team, Drew Valentine ’19, who will advise student organizations and supervise Center staff.
LGBT Resource Center (LGBTRC)
Guided by Cortney Johnson, Associate Dean of Students and Director of the LGBT Resource Center, the LGBTRC is the hub of LGBTQ+ student life and resources at Cornell. They coordinate efforts to ensure the inclusion of all LGBTQ+ students and work to eliminate discrimination based on sexual or romantic orientation, gender identity or expression. The LGBT Resource Center provides advocacy, outreach, education, support and community to LGBTQ+ students of all identities, backgrounds, and experiences.
This year the LGBTRC launched a new resource; the Life Transitions Closet, a donation-based campus resource offering free, gender-affirming clothes to queer, trans and nonbinary students going through a transitory period.
Cortney and the LGBTRC staff are looking forward to promoting resources and services on campus for LGBTQ+ students. Upcoming programs include information sessions on services offered by CAPS and gender affirming care offered through Cornell Health. The LGBTRC will also be hosting a name change clinic in October in collaboration with Cornell Law School.
Office of Spirituality and Meaning Making (OSMM)
Guided by Joel Harter, Associate Dean of Student for Spirituality and Meaning-Making, Director of Cornell United Religious Work, OSMM supports Cornell students of all religious and nonreligious identities, ethical backgrounds and worldviews. They work together with Cornell United Religious Work to guide and support opportunities for students to explore the spiritual dimension of life and learning. The multifaith community includes more than 30 affiliated chaplains and spiritual leaders and more than 40 student organizations.
This year Joel and the OSMM staff are excited to begin offering Care Groups again, to support student spiritual wellness through mindfulness, worship, service, social justice and connecting to nature.
Ivy Breivogel, the inaugural Assistant Director for OSMM, will introduce new interfaith programming on campus. She will work with new student interfaith coordinators and the student-run Interfaith Council to develop new opportunities for students to form interfaith friendships as they learn about different religious, spiritual and secular traditions, practices and worldviews.
Asian & Asian American Center (A3C)
Guided by Huey Hsiao, Kent G. Sheng '78 Associate Dean of Students and Director of the Asian and Asian American Center, A3C works to acknowledge and celebrate the rich diversity that Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) students bring to Cornell and to actively foster a supportive and inclusive campus community. AC3 creates and promotes positive interactions to contribute to the multicultural education of all students and the social/cultural development of leaders.
This year, A3C launched Elevating Asians, a collection of programs and workshops dedicated to supporting the personal growth and professional development of APIDA students.
Huey and the A3C staff are also looking forward to celebrating APIDA Heritage Month in April. They will collaborate with students and staff on programs and events that educate all members of the Cornell University community about the histories, cultural diversity, contributions and often underreported challenges of the APIDA Community.
First Generation & Low-Income Student Support (FGLI)
Guided by Dannemart Pierre, Peggy J. Koenig ’78 Associate Dean of Students for Student Empowerment and Director of First-Generation & Low-Income Student Support, FGLI promotes awareness, identity exploration, community engagement and self-advocacy for students who identify with the first-generation and/or low-income student experience. At Cornell, students are considered “first-generation” if they come from a family in which neither parents or guardians obtained a four-year college degree; which includes 19.9% of the students in the incoming class of 2026. Students with low-income status have little or no expected parent contribution as part of their financial aid package, are Pell Grant recipients, or have had their academic experience limited due to socioeconomic status. The office recently moved to a more central campus location in Barnes Hall
Dannemart is excited about this year’s FGLI Workshop Series, which will help first generation students in different ways than last year. One session will help students to develop food security, while another will partner with the library to help students understand how to find resources.
She is also excited to work with the new director of the DACA/Undocumented office, Victor Cuicahua. Dannemart hopes they can develop language and education around the undocumented student experience, learn how to be better allies and supporters and learn how to develop policies that support students and eliminate barriers to success.
Undocumented/DACA Student Support
Guided by Victor Cuicahua, the brand new Associate Director of Student Empowerment, Undocumented/DACA Student Support, this office promotes an inclusive and transformational educational experience for students who identify with undocumented/DACA status.This office, a division of First-Generation & Low-Income (FGLI) Student Support, empowers students to navigate and access resources to alleviate institutional barriers.
Undergraduate students who hold DACA status granted by the federal government and students who have been long-term undocumented individuals are considered domestic students by Cornell University for the purposes of admission and need-based institutional financial aid.
Victor is excited to join an institution dedicated to supporting first-generation students. As a first-generation student himself, he said the support he received from faculty and peers as an undergraduate transformed his life.
He’s also looking forward to supporting undocumented and DACA students on campus amidst ongoing legal and political uncertainty. Whether through the BRIDGE program, Afternoon Tea Series, or other initiatives, he looks forward to connecting and supporting those students during their time at Cornell and beyond.
NEW! Latinx Student Empowerment (LSE)
Guided by Juan Jaimes Costilla, Associate Dean of Students, Director of Latinx Student Empowerment, LSE offers guidance to student organizations, coordinates and implements programming and serves as a support network for Latinx/e students. A key priority this year is to design and implement student-centered initiatives that foster identity development, leadership skills and a strong sense of belonging.
Juan, who joined the university this past summer, has enjoyed getting to experience Cornell in full swing this semester. He enjoys working with students to achieve their organizational goals and he is excited to work closely with La Asociacion Latina (LAL) as their advisor.
NEW! Black Student Empowerment (BSE)
Guided by Sharifa Wip, Associate Dean of Students and Director of Black Student Empowerment, BSE advocates for and provides vision, leadership, and coordination for Black-identified student strategic priorities and initiatives. This space serves as a network of support for students regarding their transition to and navigation of Cornell. BSE offers programming open to the campus community, especially those who reside in the Ujamaa Residential College.
Sharifa is excited to attend student programming and for students to connect and share their hopes and dreams with her. She’s looking forward to supporting a transformative collegiate experience for Black students.
As a recent transplant from Alabama, she’s also excited to explore campus and Ithaca. Sharifa has been adventuring to gorges every weekend and is looking forward to living in a snowy climate for the first time.