Zacarias named first ever Oglethorpe Intercultural Center director

The founding director of the new Oglethorpe University Intercultural Center will be Marisol Zacarias who brings a proven track record of intercultural engagement for such organizations as Reach for Excellence, Agnes Scott College and the Posse Foundation.

The Oglethorpe community is invited to a meet-and-greet with Zacarias at 1 p.m., May 9, in the Cousins Center Atrium. Refreshments will be served. Zacarias’ first official day is May 22.

“We are eager to have Marisol join us and put her considerable gifts to work on behalf of the entire campus,” said Dr. Laura Renée Chandler, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion. “The Intercultural Center is a key building block in our efforts to enhance the sense of inclusion at Oglethorpe, and Marisol is the best person to serve as its inaugural director.”

A graduate of Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and Affairs, Zacarias earned a Master of Arts in Urban Education from The City University of New York. She is an experienced education and nonprofit professional who most recently served as Hispanic Initiative Director at Reach for Excellence in Atlanta.

Prior to Reach for Excellence, Zacarias worked as the manager of the career development office at Agnes Scott College and program director for the Posse Foundation in Atlanta. Her previous experience also includes serving as chief operations officer for the Graduation Achievement Charter High School in Atlanta and the director of district and school partnerships at Teach for America in New York City.

“I am especially grateful for the search committee members for their tremendous work and dedication in securing this appointment–Dr. Marisa Atencio, Miriam Smith, Derek Otis, Ashrakat Hassan and David Martinez Alvarez,” Dr. Chandler said. “It was a shared effort, and we will all benefit from the committee’s good work.”

The Intercultural Center will be part of Oglethorpe’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiative and will be located on the second floor of the Turner Lynch Campus Center. The center will offer support, advocacy, engagement, and programs and services to promote a sense of belonging for students from historically marginalized and excluded identities. It will also provide educational opportunities for all students to develop deeper understandings of and more effective skills in participating in a diverse, inclusive, and equitable campus community and world.