Smith Appoints Director of Institutional Diversity

Smith College President Ruth J. Simmons has announced the appointment of Brenda A. Allen as assistant to the president and director of institutional diversity. The director of institutional diversity is responsible for the oversight and coordination of all efforts of the college to achieve its goals in the attainment of campus diversity. Allen will serve as the college's affirmative action officer and lead campus-wide efforts on issues of diversity and inclusion.

Allen is currently associate professor of psychology at Smith and chair of the department of Afro-American Studies. She has written extensively on cultural influences on cognitive and social development. While at Smith, she has also served as adjunct professor in the School for Social Work, special assistant to the provost, and acting associate director of institutional diversity.

Allen came to Smith in 1990, after holding the position of lecturer in the departments of psychology and Afro-American studies at Yale University. She earned her doctoral and masters degrees from Howard University and her bachelors degree from Lincoln University.

Simmons noted that, "For the past decade, Brenda Allen has been an effective and imaginative leader on diversity issues at Smith. Brenda will bring the thoughtful and courageous leadership needed for Smith to succeed with respect to its historic mission of opportunity and access."

Smith College is consistently ranked among the nation's best liberal arts colleges. Enrolling 2,800 students from every state and 50 other countries, Smith is the largest undergraduate women's college in the United States.

May 16, 2000