A diversity initiatives committee consisting of faculty, staff and students has been
formed on campus to better support multicultural students and alumni—and to understand
perspectives and experiences of multicultural students both on campus and those who
have graduated. The UWAA welcomes the opportunity to engage with and learn from our
fellow Cowboys and Cowgirls, and we are proud to serve on this committee. Dolores
Cardona, associate dean of students for multicultural affairs, points out how crucial
it is to continue to maintain efforts to recruit and retain minority students at UW.
“Students have expressed concerns about the need to recruit and support more diverse
students. The committee must continue to stay with it; consistency is key. You have
to keep taking these steps and keep going.”
One of the major ways the UWAA hopes to better serve our students and alumni is to connect multicultural alumni with prospective multicultural students going through the admissions process. “As our prospective students are going through the college search process, it’s important for them to see themselves as being successful at UW,” says Shelley Dodd, director of admissions. “People who can showcase their successes and experiences at UW are multicultural alumni, and we are extremely excited to be able to connect prospective students with UW alumni.” Through close partnerships with admissions and multicultural affairs, contact has been made with numerous alumni who are eager to help increase the support given to multicultural students through the admissions process.
Brandon Ewing (Exp. ’16, social sciences), former Cowboy basketball student-athlete, Chicago native and new staff member for the UW Office of Admissions, has worked closely with admissions and the UWAA and has reached out to hundreds of multicultural prospective students, welcoming them and providing resources and answering questions from students throughout the admissions process. “It’s so important for these students to connect with alumni and UW,” Ewing says. “These alums have sat in the same classrooms, walked in their shoes and been on the same campus. It provides a way for these students to envision succeeding at UW and what they can accomplish as students at the university.”
The UWAA is excited for the opportunity better serve and support UW’s multicultural students and alumni, and we are taking steps to ensure we are providing the best service we can as an association. The Multicultural Alumni Chapter, which is led by numerous alumni, including Dominic Martinez, continues to help connect multicultural alumni, students and friends of UW. We hope to continue assist with the university’s and our Multicultural Alumni Chapter’s efforts to promote diversity both on and off campus.
If you are interested in being a part of the UW Multicultural Alumni Chapter or connecting with students in the admissions process, please email uwalumni@uwyo.edu.
