Valeria Ross

Program Director for Access and Strategic Initiatives

• Staff
• Instructor

• Email:

  vross@olemiss.edu

• Office Location:

  114 Leavell Hall

• Phone:

  662-915-2784

Biography

Valeria Beasley Ross serves as the Project Manager for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the College of Liberal Arts.  She reports to the Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and works with the Dean and College Leadership Team, the Faculty Leadership Equity Board, the Department Equity Representatives, and the Student Equity Leadership Council.  She supports the mission of the College and the University in the areas of equity, diversity, inclusion, and community engagement and engages with faculty, staff, students, alumni, community members to support and build strategies and goals related to these areas. Some specific contributions include:

• leading, managing, and coordinating visible projects that support increased diverse representation in the college
• coordinating and supporting efforts to improve inclusion, diversity and equity services and programs in the college
• identifying opportunities, addressing gaps, and suggesting strategies in the college that will deliver equitable results
• assisting and/or supporting College of Liberal Arts recruitment and retention initiatives for underrepresented communities and collaborating with departments, faculty, staff and students across the college to improve recruitment and retention initiative for underrepresented students, and
• advising and consulting as requested in the development of web pages, brochures, newsletters that can be used to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, mattering and belonging in the College of Liberal Arts.

Valeria has served the University and worked in various roles for nearly thirty years. Val has a Master’s of Social Science degree in Sociology and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Public Administration and in Sociology.  Valeria is currently writing her dissertation with a focus on Nancy Schlossberg’s Theory on Mattering vs. Marginality, conceptualizing “othermothering” for college students of color, and the contributions of faculty to ethnic minority student success at predominantly White campuses.