Our Mission
The Office of Intercultural Affairs supports students as they explore their multiple identities along the spectrum of diversity including class, ability, gender expression, gender identity, nationality, race/ethnicity, spirituality and sexual identity. The office serves as a leader, advocate and resource for Agnes Scott’s commitment to create and foster an inclusive campus community.
Our Director
After a very brief career in the law, Marisela Martinez determined her passions were with serving and supporting college students. She began her career at Davenport University in Grand Rapids, Mich., and later moved to The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining the ASC family, she served the students at The University of Georgia. She has always thought of herself as a citizen of this world and finds joy in learning about others and sharing her own culture.
Born to immigrant parents and reared in Battle Creek, Mich., she is the first in her family to attend college. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in psychology and African-American and African studies and her Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago.
OIA Ambassadors
In spring 2009, seven students were selected to serve as OIA Ambassadors for the campus community. The ambassadors are a peer education resource that will be available to faculty, staff, residence hall staff and student organizations around campus. To obtain their services or learn more about the ambassador program, please contact Marisela Martinez.
2009-2010 OIA Ambassadors
|
Alex Brewer ’10
|
Brittany Bromfield ’11
|
|
Jordan Casteel ’11
|
Calista Ross ’11
|
|
T’Aira Duncan ’11
|
Naseem Ghannad ’11
|
|
Carolina Patiño ’10
|
|
Student Staff
Each year OIA is staffed by a diverse group of engaging student leaders who are committed to representing the depth and breadth of diversity within Agnes Scott. If you are a work-study student interested in diversity efforts, please apply for a position in OIA.
History
In 1926, Pilley Kim Choi, a native of Korea, became the first person of color to graduate from Agnes Scott. Eighteen years later in 1944, it is believed that Trina Perez-Martild from Cuba became the first Latina to enroll at Agnes Scott. More than 20 years later, in 1965, the first African-American student, Gay Johnson McDougall, enrolled at Agnes Scott. After two years, however, she transferred to another college. In 1967, Edna Lowe Swift became the second African American at Agnes Scott. She graduated in 1971 becoming the first African American to graduate from the college.
Through the years, as multicultural student populations and organizations joined the community of Agnes Scott, a need to create a space where diversity and inclusion were the primary goals developed. In 1991, then-President Ruth Schmidt emphasized diversity as a college commitment when she stated, “Diversity is desirable and essential to a rich and stimulating intellectual community, but it does take more effort on everyone’s part to learn to live and appreciate the contribution of persons and groups quite different from one’s own … We must create an environment in which individual students, faculty and staff feel welcome, appreciated and understood for who and what they are.”
In an effort to create a community where every story is celebrated, initial efforts to honor multiculturalism on campus were shepherded by Shuronda H. Gardner Smith. From Sept. 1997 to Jan. 2003, Smith served as the assistant dean of students. Smith hosted numerous cultural programs and created a multicultural resource library to raise both awareness and sensitivity to cultural differences. Smith passed away suddenly in 2003 but her dedication to multiculturalism on campus was honored with the naming of the library in her honor.
In 2003, under the guidance of President Mary Brown Bullock and Dean Gué Pardue Hudson, the Office of Multicultural Affairs was formed. Justina Brooks was appointed as the first part-time director and she served in that position from 2004 to 2005.
Anneliese Singh was appointed to a part-time position as director of multicultural affairs in August, 2005 and served until 2006. Singh, a faculty member at The University of Georgia, continues to consult with the college.
Kijua Sanders-McMurtry was appointed to the position as a part-time director in August 2006. In August 2007, under the leadership of President Elizabeth Kiss, Sanders-McMurtry was appointed as the first full-time director of multicultural affairs. She was promoted to associate dean of students and special assistant to the president on diversity in July 2008.
Marisela Martinez was appointed the director of intercultural affairs in August 2008. The Office of Multicultural Affairs, an integral part of the Agnes Scott community, continues to be a valuable resource under a new name. In August 2008, OMA became the Office of Intercultural Affairs. This transition has been implemented under the leadership of the new director, Marisela Martinez, who has brought a wealth of experience and passion for the work of diversity and interculturalism to the position.