Administrative Overview
News and Events
VP, Diversity and Community Engagement
Preparing students for tomorrow's challenges is one of the most important goals for any institution of higher learning. Of the many initiatives the UT Dallas leadership outlined in its Strategic Plan, perhaps none could have a greater impact than the decision to strongly support excellence and inclusion by creating the Office of Diversity and Community Engagement (ODCE) to recognize, enhance and celebrate diversity.
UT Dallas appointed noted technology innovator Dr. Magaly Spector, one of the most visible Hispanic women in the fields of science and engineering in the United States, vice president for Diversity and Community Engagement in January 2008.
In this capacity, Dr. Spector is responsible for the Galerstein Women's Center and the Multicultural Center. Her office also is charged with the development of new programs to attract, retain and promote a more diverse population of students, staff and faculty. It also serves in an advisory capacity for the development of activities.
To meet its goals, three new departments were created: Faculty Diversity, Community Engagement and Institutional Diversity Initiatives. The Community Engagement arm reaches beyond the campus into the community to forge a stronger working relationship with different constituencies, including highly underrepresented minority high schools, community colleges and corporations across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The Faculty Diversity arm aims to provide leadership for achieving and sustaining faculty diversity as an indispensable element of academic excellence. The Institutional Diversity Initiatives arm develops grants, communications, and maintains and publishes a diversity scorecard.
Grants and Contract Specialist
The Manager of Grant and Contracts supports the Office of Diversity and Community Engagement (ODCE) through raising grant funds that assists new or enhances existing diversity programs, initiatives and projects. Through research and identification, this position targets appropriate federal, state, corporate, and foundation funding opportunities, develops grant proposals and in collaboration with the director of each ODCE department, submits grant requests. Each grant submission focuses on ODCE programs that address the needs of underrepresented minorities and women in STEM. Once a grant has been awarded, the manager of grants and contract ensures compliance with all funding and reporting requirements. This position provides critical support to ODCE's strategic imperatives and goal of increasing the enrollment of underrepresented minority students and women in STEM at UT Dallas.
Charmaine Sarpong joined the Office of Diversity and Community Engagement in July 2012 as the Administrative Assistant III to Vice President, Dr. Magaly Spector. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, and her MBA degree in Strategic Leadership from Amberton University in Garland, Texas. Her wealth of experience collaborating through volunteerism, non-profit dynamics and community engagements have fostered winning the presidential lifetime award for volunteerism. It is the highest award that can be given to any one individual.
Charmaine's responsibilities include assisting the vice president with the day-to-day operational management of the ODCE. Providing support to the departments of Faculty Diversity, Community Engagement, Institutional Initiatives, the Multicultural Center and The Women's Center.
The Office of Diversity and Community Engagement is located in the Administration Building and was originally opened on September 8, 2008.
