A Mountaineer Who is Motivating RIT Students to Reach New Heights | September 2022
Dr. Phillippa Thiuri was appointed assistant vice president for student access and success in the Division of Diversity and Inclusion in May 2022, after serving for several months in an interim position.
In a nutshell, how would you describe your responsibilities and what are some of your goals?
In a nutshell my student facing responsibilities are to advocate for success and access to academic and professional opportunities at RIT and beyond. This includes writing state and national grants that provide ALANA and underrepresented students access to research, professional development, access to graduate school and successful career options. The cluster of departments under my supervision are not only focused on academic and personal success but also create much needed community for students in a PWI.
My goal this year is to increase our engagement with students and key partners at RIT and in the community. I am committed to increasing the capacity of our services especially in the areas of academic success support and professional networking opportunities for students.
In this role, is there a particular message you want RIT students to know?
Yes! The DDI Summer Experience student access and success cluster has a place for you. Whether you are a 4.0 student or an engineer, passionate about sociology and interested in research. We welcome students to reach out and ask for assistance and more importantly how to get involved. Our cluster of departments want students to feel the support.
You have a strong background in DEI. What first led you to devote your energy to this work?
My multicultural competency has been constructed by years of international experience. I was born and raised in Kenya, spent my formative years traveling and living all over Africa and Canada. My parents encouraged my sister and me to challenge our worldview with humility and curiosity. This early foundation is the prism I use to understand our world ultimately affirming all people.
Both of my parents are academics and education was taken very seriously. Through their encouragement, I have had the opportunity to attend the best universities in the country and this privilege resulted in a personal and academic understanding of the world's education disparities. My life's work has been centered in furthering the goals of education parity particularly for under-represented students.
You were assistant dean of students and multicultural affairs at a college in Boston; you started your career here at RIT in 2005 and you have worked as assistant director in MCAS and as a lecturer and adjunct professor at Saunders College of Business, just to name a few of your academic positions. Tell us something about Dr. Phillippa Thiuri when she is not working. What are your interests? Do you have hobbies? Are you a member of any community organizations?
Yes! I am still searching for what “balance” means in life – and I’m not sure ANYONE attains this goal all the time. I recently took up Black and White photography using 34mm film and the old school analog cameras. There is an art and science to making prints. As the photographer you have to keep in mind that your picture will not be in color so you must look for contrast and pay attention to lighting. In the darkroom there is precision in mixing the chemicals but some leeway in exposure and timing. If only I had my own darkroom… I’d spend all my free time there.
I am the treasurer of the Brighton Rotary Club – and I have found a community of like-minded people dedicated to “service before self.” Incidentally – I am going to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in late December 2022 and fundraise for a joint Rotary Project between Brighton Rotary and Malindi (Kenya) Rotary. My goal is $50,000 to build a library and youth community center.