MCAS Advocates Program
MCAS Advocates and MCAS Student Advocates play a critical role in engaging and empowering AALANA (African, Latin, and Native American) students to successfully graduate from RIT on time while closing the achievement gap by building community. This program increases the communication and collaboration between MCAS (and by extension, the Division for Diversity and Inclusion) with RIT’s academic units. This program combines successful RIT AALANA students in collaboration with a professional staff/faculty advocate from the college, appointed by their respective deans. Together they will be in positions to influence change in their colleges through programming and directed outreach initiatives.
MCAS Advocates
- Advisor to the MCAS student advocates to ensure they are in alignment with the university strategic plan in regards to their social and professional programs and outreach.
- Meet with MCAS and other MCAS Advocates on a monthly basis to discuss students’ academic success and outreach initiatives.
- Help with faculty and student introductions and interactions.
- Represent MCAS to the students, faculty, and staff in their respective colleges.
- Provide a constant contact/presence for AALANA students in their college.
- Advocate for and advise AALANA students when applicable.
Meet the MCAS Advocates
Pradip Ananda
Larry Buckley
Barbara Contreras Mora
Ricardo Figueroa
Andre Hudson
Ashley Jackson
Nykki Matthews
Venessa Mitchell
Kristy Mooney Graves
Melissa Bizari
Torrence Sparkman
MCAS Student Advocates
- Develop programs that create community amongst AALANA students in their college.
- Lead their college MCAS student boards (if applicable).
- Meet regularly with their college MCAS Advocate (weekly/biweekly).
- Be an extension of MCAS in their college in order to share information and promote opportunities from MCAS and DDI to students in their college.
- Mentor and demonstrate academic success to students in their college.