Kutztown University welcomes Melinda Quiñones as the university’s new director of the Multicultural Center. Quiñones began at KU April 13, with a stellar background and high ambition.
Quiñones holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and Master of Business Administration in marketing and management from DeSales University. She has served DeSales as the assistant director of Multicultural Recruitment, associate director of Enrollment Management and recently served as the director of Residence Life for six years. She is currently continuing her education, pursuing her doctorate at East Stroudsburg University in higher education and leadership.
“The opportunity to be part of a dynamic and multicultural community was of significant interest to me. I feel it’s part of my life’s mission to work with students and promote diversity, equity and inclusion. When the position opened, it aligned with my goals and what I wanted to do,” Quiñones said.
Quiñones is a Lehigh Valley native, currently residing in Whitehall, Pa. She also spent time in Baltimore, working in an agency to support at-risk youth, before returning to the Lehigh Valley. She is well-traveled, having visited Canada, England, France, India, Spain, Switzerland and her beloved Caribbean Islands, but always returns home to work with Lehigh Valley students and spend quality time with her family and friends. She loves to cook and experience cultures through delicious cuisine.
“I want to work with students in that capacity and make sure they have room for advancement and opportunity in higher education,” Quiñones said. “I also want to focus on retention so that once students are here, it feels like home. They’re not just here – they’re flourishing. I’m looking forward to engaging with students, working with our students to look at our current programs, create new ones and align what we do with our mission in ways that are meaningful to them.”
Though all current events are canceled, visit the Multicultural Services website for upcoming future events, potential online events, as well as programs and services.
