Dear Campus Community,
Greetings, saludos, most esteemed Gettysburg community—students, faculty, and staff!
It is such an honor to be able to introduce myself as Gettysburg College’s new Chief Diversity Officer (CDO). I accepted this privilege with both hope and excitement for the great work in front of us as a community. I recognize and embrace the responsibility entrusted to me to advance the work of my predecessor, Dr. Jeanne Arnold, and the work of hundreds of Gettysburgians who have been deeply engaged in strengthening diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)—and therefore, social justice and democratic civic engagement—at the College and beyond throughout the years. This is work that matters profoundly to me.
Besides my enthusiasm, I bring to the role more than 25 years of professional experience as a higher education administrator, an academic and political scientist, and a non-profit sector leader. As a CDO, as well as a former Dean and faculty member, I have consistently been focused on addressing the disparities and different manifestations of exclusions based on race/ethnicity, nationality, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, social class, religion, first-generation status, and military status, among others, and the implications those entail to advancing democratic co-existence. As a non-profit leader and community organizer in New York City—and also Puerto Rico, Nevada, and Maine, where I started my professional career at Bates College—I have been directly involved in the work of supporting recent and undocumented immigrants, including farm workers, Indigenous Tribes and Nations, homeless LGBTQ+ youth, women in prison—particularly, women of color—religious groups, DACA students, and first-generation students.
I very much look forward to getting to know you and beginning our shared work ahead. As a starting point, I hope to connect with many of you at our informal social gathering on Tuesday, September 13, hosted by President Iuliano.
Please know that I am always available through email at egordon@gettysburg.edu. Also, starting in October, I will be setting aside time every Thursday of the rest of the semester, from 1 - 2 p.m., for anyone who might want to drop by my office (Pennsylvania Hall, second floor) just to chat or to discuss an issue. Snacks will be provided!
I'm looking forward to meeting you in person!
Thank you,
Eloisa Gordon-Mora, PhD
Chief Diversity Officer