New coordinator takes Cultural Center helm

Valerie Cleary, Boise State’s new Cultural Center coordinator, began her duties this month-filling a position that has been empty since former coordinator Tam Dinh resigned last spring.

Cleary has only been on campus for two weeks and says that though it is hectic, she believes the center will continue to do some great things.

Cleary came to BSU fresh from completing her coursework for a master’s of science in counseling with an option in student development in higher education at California State University, Long Beach.

She is currently working on her thesis project, a study on the retention of biracial students in public colleges and universities.

“I’m most concerned with how the college experience impacts the identity of biracial students,” Cleary said. “Just as with any racial group, these students have issues to deal with that other students are not sensitive to.”

She also held numerous graduate assistantship positions. These included work with the African American Graduation Celebration, student transfer orientation, and a peer-mentoring group for business students.

Cleary earned her bachelor’s degree from California State University at Chico in social sciences with a focus on multicultural, ethnic and gender studies.

She worked hard for the university during her undergraduate years as well, doing work for Upward Bound, various educational support programs, and the school’s educational talent search.

She said the students and staff already in place at the Cultural Center have helped her adjust well, and she hopes to lead the center in a positive direction.

“We are mostly going to focus on promotion, not necessarily the development of new events. We have some wonderful opportunities; I just don’t think many people are aware that those opportunities are there. I’m hoping I can help change that,” she said.

But Cleary said the center would be developing some new programs for Hispanic History Month, which continues through Oct. 15.

Elizabeth Puckett, The Arbiter

Related Posts:

1. Cultural Center hires coordinator
2. Interim coordinator maintains Cultural Center
3. Ro takes the helm at Cultural Center
4. Ro takes the helm at Cultural Center
5. Culture Center loses another coordinator