Alumni Highlights
Jessica Cruz, French, BA & BS French & Public Admin, 2006
Jessica Cruz
2006 Graduate - Dual Degree
Language: French
Bachelor of Arts
Major: French
Bachelor of Science
Major: Public Administration - Community
Development Planning
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. Dr. Cruz is a founder and the executive director of the Center for Latin@ Studies at Ferris State University and the founder and chair of the Latin@ Scholar Success: A College and Graduate School Conference. Currently, Dr. Cruz is Northern Michigan University's first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. Dr. Cruz earned several accolades, including the 2015 GVSU Young Alumni of the Year Award. More recently, she was one of two selected in the nation for the National Association of Diversity Officers (NADOHE) Chief Diversity Officers Fellowship in 2017.
Updated March 2019
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