-
1 of 10
-
2 of 10
-
3 of 10
-
4 of 10
-
5 of 10
-
6 of 10
-
7 of 10
-
8 of 10
-
9 of 10
-
10 of 10
Cultural Center hires coordinator
Archive
Comments
Story
The Student Union announced the hiring of Valerie Cleary as the new Cultural Center coordinator last week.
Cleary received her B.A. in social sciences from California State University-Chico, and finished the coursework in July for her M.S. in counseling at CSU-Long Beach.
Cleary is currently working on her thesis, focusing on retention of biracial students at public colleges and universities.
She will begin her job at the Cultural Center in early September.
“She has absolutely great enthusiasm and is excited about the job,” Leah Barrett, Student Union and activities director said.
As a graduate assistant, Cleary served as assistant coordinator for new student programs at CSU-Fullerton and advised the African-American Graduation Celebration student committee at CSU-Long Beach.
A member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, Cleary was the academic chair of the Lambda Theta Nu (National Latina) Sorority while earning her undergraduate degree.
Barrett said Cleary was selected from an international pool of over 120 applicants, four of whom were flown to Boise for interviews.
Julie Manning, a Boise State student who was involved in the hiring process, said Cleary has a lot of good ideas for assisting students.
“One thing the administration never understood was how much we lost when Tam [Dinh, previous coordinator] left,” said Manning.
“She was a friend, not just a coordinator. She was our financial advisor, our shoulder to cry on.”
Manning said she was impressed by Cleary’s consistency throughout the interviewing process.
“Since her husband is in athletics, she’s used to spending six days a week involved in something,” Manning said.
“She said she would be here for everything.”
Cleary’s husband, Timothy, accepted an assistant men’s basketball coaching position at Boise State in April.
Manning said students in the Cultural Center have spent a lot of time this summer trying to build a better relationship with the university administration.
“By the time we get to the Cultural Center, we’re mad,” she said.
One of the new programs planned are monthly luncheons with the administration. In the meetings, students can relate information to university heads in an effort to ease tensions.
“We want them to know us as people. It’s not us against them, it’s us against the U of I, right?” Manning said.
Matt Neznanski, The Arbiter