CWU employees chosen for first-ever cohort of national Hispanic leadership program

As Central Washington University works towards becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), developing and promoting diversity in leadership is of the utmost importance.

As part of this work, two CWU employees have been selected to join the inaugural, 56-member cohort of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities’ (HACU) Enlace Mid-Level Leadership Program, a six-month leadership development course for university professionals.

Registrar Arturo Torres and Human Resources Partner Verónica Gómez Vilchis were chosen by a committee based on the strength of their applications, and their visions for the kind of inclusive, equitable environment a college campus ought to foster. Torres believes this focus is instrumental in ensuring student engagement and, ultimately, the kind of quality education CWU aims to offer.

“Students who feel excluded from the university community are most likely not going to seek out the support or resources they require,” he said. “At the end of the day, providing students an environment of diversity and to have shared experiences and ideas helps all students expand their learning opportunities.”

Over the course of the program, participants will attend the HACU Annual Conference this October 28-30, complete a series of online sessions on a variety of leadership- and equity-oriented subjects, and finally, travel to Washington, D.C., to attend a Capital Forum and be honored at a graduation ceremony in April 2024.

According to Gómez Vilchis, this programming will help her expand her capacity as a leader and an advocate for her community.

“After being at CWU since 1998, I have developed strong relationships with members of the Latinx community, both on and off campus,” she said. “Having the privilege to participate in a leadership program like this will allow me to fill the gap in my leadership skills to navigate a predominantly White institution as a Latina who understands the complexity of how my skin tone impacts how I am viewed. It will also help position me to influence how the Latinx community is being served and engaged at CWU.”

Because diversity, equity, and inclusion work is just as much about cultural impact as institutional resources, elevating and developing the voices of Latinx employees and leaders will have an impact on the university as a whole.

“I want to provide information and access to all students to achieve a degree or some post-secondary education,” Torres said. “I look forward to a fruitful experience in the cohort and to share what I have learned to maximize its impact on campus."

Open-mindedness and cultural awareness are healthy for any organization that’s serious about innovative and forward-thinking approaches to education.

“We shift from questioning and doubting the other person’s experience and begin to question the structures and systems that are creating division and inequities,” Gómez Vilchis said. “The more we can see, hear, and feel with an open mind and heart, the more we can remove those barriers that have been preventing historically excluded communities from obtaining the same resources and education as their peers.”