DCC Names Chief Diversity Officer
August 16, 2018 – Wazir Jefferson, Ed.D., a City of Poughkeepsie native with 15 years of higher education experience, has been named Dutchess Community College’s first chief diversity officer.
Under the leadership of President Pamela Edington, Jefferson will lead the development and implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to increase student success.
Jefferson most recently served in roles at The University of Utah, including special assistant to the vice president for Equity and Diversity, student success advocate and assistant residential education coordinator/diversity education coordinator.
“DCC has identified diversity as both a core institutional value and a goal, and I’m very pleased to facilitate the impressive work being done by faculty and staff to create an inclusive environment that fosters student success,” said Jefferson. “I look forward to working with students, faculty, staff and the community at large to celebrate our differences and enhance dialog about diversity, equity and inclusion.”
Jefferson holds a doctorate in education from The University of Utah, a master’s degree from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree from Temple University.
The position of chief diversity officer was created following a refresh of DCC’s mission statement to include diversity as a core institutional value and goal.
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Founded in 1957, Dutchess Community College has earned a reputation for providing an outstanding education at the lowest tuition in New York state. Its main campus is in Poughkeepsie, with a satellite campus in Wappingers Falls. For more information, visit http://www.sunydutchess.edu.
