Feature Stories
Jessica Cruz, '06
Every aspect of work in the life of Jessica Cruz, ’06 is geared toward education equality. She earned two degrees in Public Administration and French from Grand Valley in 2006 and then went on to earn a doctorate from the Teachers College of Columbia University in 2013.
Cruz has dedicated her life to advocating for equal education access for all. A founder of the Center for Latin@ studies at Ferris State University, Cruz advances the center’s mission to increase students’ access to higher education. A researcher at heart, Cruz’s work with the center lines up with her studies of undergraduate Latin@ student organizations acting as culturally relevant tools for retention.
While at Grand Valley, Cruz was an active member of the Latino Student Union and Amnesty International. She was a tutor and counselor for the Upward Bound program, and also conducted research on bilingual education through the Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program. Submerging herself in advocacy opportunities during her time at Grand Valley is what laid the foundation for her studies at Columbia and her career.
Cruz’s research extends to the Latin@ community of Grand Rapids. Her goals are to learn how to increase underrepresented student access to higher education and to create the best initiatives to support students along their educational journey.
Nationally, Cruz is a member of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and a member of Critical Race Studies in Educational Association (CRSEA). Locally, she is connected to Business Leaders Linked to Encourage New Directions (BL2END), Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women (GROW) as well as other professional organizations throughout Michigan. Her memberships, career, and research allow her to fight for social justice through education every day.
Cruz currently lives in Wyoming, MI. In February 2016, Cruz will become the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Northern Michigan University.
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