Leading in Central MA: Marcela Uribe-Jennings, Asst. Dean at WSU
Email to a friend
Permalink
Monday, December 30, 2013
Susan Wagner, GoLocalWorcester Contributor
Marcela Uribe-Jennings, Assistant Dean/Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs at Worcester State University-- Leading Central Mass.
Marcela Uribe-Jennings is the Assistant Dean/Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs at Worcester State University (WSU). The office has been in existence for 30 years since the early 70‘s. The program’s continued success is evident in the fact that its director is an alumnus who sought help when immigrating from Santiago, Chile.
A Conversation with Marcela Uribe-Jennings
SW: Lets talk first about your career at the Office of Multicultural Affairs.
MJ: It has been a very homegrown experience for me. I was a participant in the program, which I now direct. I became involved by receiving services, then a work-study student, and then the recipient of a bachelor’s degree. I worked my way to the top. The program provided me with wonderful mentoring and support.
SW: What does the Office do?
MJ: We provide access and retention for underrepresented students. Many are first generation and often low income. We help them with the admission process. Then we mentor and support though all aspects of college adjustment, the ultimate aim being to increase student sophistication as a means of enhancing student academic achievement and ensuring goal fulfillment. We also help students transition into a career upon graduation.
SW: Can you describe a day in your life?
MJ: I have an active home life with my husband and two daughters who are 20 and 17. At the office, I live the life of a director with a lot of meetings, budget issues, problem solving, writing grants and being available to provide access and support. I work hand in hand with the staff to bring the services to students.
SW: What organizations are you involved with in the community.
MJ: I am a board member for the Multicultural Health Center and do a lot of open house services for individuals and groups.
SW: Who or what has had the greatest influence on your life?
MJ: I would have to say my immigration process. I came to this country from Santiago, Chile during the time of the coup. Having to adjust to a new country and learn a new language has helped to define who I am. In addition, of course, my parents, my family life as a wife and mother and WSU.
SW: Your favorite quote?
MJ: "Gracias a la vida que me a dado tanto." Violeta Parra. It means "Thanks to life, which has given me so much."
SW: What is the something that few people know about you?
MJ: I just love music. It is my personal therapy. I love all music but thoroughly enjoy Spanish music.
SW: How do you spend your free time?
MJ: I dedicate time to my family and enjoy the opportunity to prepare a meal and just spend time together.
SW: What is your advice for helping the area’s high school students to reach their full potential?
MJ: Parents need to help students to make small decisions based on reality. They need to consider the ability to handle student loans, the poor economy and other realities. Teenagers should keep your dreams and aspire toward them but as parents or mentors, we need to be inquisitive and keep them grounded.
SW: Any special plans for your future?
MJ: When we have more time in the future, I want to go to Chile. I took my husband, Bob Jennings, to see my old life there. I want us to be tourists together throughout the whole country. I have shared my husband’s love for Martha’s Vineyard through the years and hope to share my love for Chile with him. I also want to spend time with my parents and be available for my children.
GoLocalWorcester presents Leading in Central Ma, a weekly profile of an outstanding community or business leader. Join us every Monday for an inspiring look at the careers and lifestyles of Central Massachusetts’s most influential citizens.
Susan Wagner is the president of Susan Wagner PR. In this challenging economy, she has begun a new division to offer affordable start-up packages to new and emerging small businesses and non-profit organizations that include professional writing services, websites, collateral, marketing, social media, grassroots outreach and PR campaigns. If you have suggestions for a profile, please email [email protected].
Related Slideshow: Top New England Colleges According to Business Insider
See how New England colleges ranked in the latest Business Insider.
Below is the list of how the region's representatives stacked up against each other -- as well as how they fared overall.
Prev
Next
#13 Wesleyan University
Overall Rank: 49
Location: Middletown, CT
Score: 2.73 out of 5
Tuition and Fees: $47,244
Business Insider: "With roughly 2,900 undergraduates on a 316-acre campus overlooking the Conn. River, Wesleyan uses its small size to provide highly personal faculty support and customizable programs of study to students.
Business Insider's rating is scored out of 5 and is based on the results of a 1,000-person reader survey that asked how much each college will help students succeed in life. Tuition was used as a tiebreaker, with cheaper tuition pushing a school to a higher spot.
Prev
Next
#12 Boston University
Overall Rank: 45
Location: Boston, MA
Score: 2.79 out of 5
Tuition and Fees: $44,910
Business Insider: "A concrete campus located in the bustling city of Boston, BU has nearly 100 study abroad programs in 23 countries, an active social media presence with more than 200 Facebook pages and groups, and 20-plus NCAA Division I varsity sports, including a multiple NCAA national championship-winning hockey team."
Business Insider's rating is scored out of 5 and is based on the results of a 1,000-person reader survey that asked how much each college will help students succeed in life. Tuition was used as a tiebreaker, with cheaper tuition pushing a school to a higher spot.
Prev
Next
#11 Wellesley College
Overall Rank: 44
Location: Wellesley, MA
Score: 2.86 out of 5
Tuition and Fees: $43,544
Business Insider: "Madeleine Albright, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Diane Sawyer are among the nearly 37,000 living alumni of Wellesley College, an institute with an unwavering commitment to empowering women to make a difference in the world. Students are central to decision-making at this liberal arts college: They serve on major committees of the board of trustees, participate in faculty search, and contribute to strategic planning."
Business Insider's rating is scored out of 5 and is based on the results of a 1,000-person reader survey that asked how much each college will help students succeed in life. Tuition was used as a tiebreaker, with cheaper tuition pushing a school to a higher spot.
Prev
Next
#10 Middlebury College
Overall Rank: 40
Location: Middlebury, VT
Score: 2.94 out of 5
Tuition and Fees: $57,075
Business Insider: "Renowned for leadership in language instruction and environmental studies, Middlebury emphasizes close interaction between students and faculty as the core of its education. All courses are taught by faculty members, rather than graduate assistants, and 65% of classes contain fewer than 20 students."
Business Insider's rating is scored out of 5 and is based on the results of a 1,000-person reader survey that asked how much each college will help students succeed in life. Tuition was used as a tiebreaker, with cheaper tuition pushing a school to a higher spot.
Prev
Next
#9 Tufts University
Overall Rank: 37
Location: Medford, MA
Score: 3.07 out of 5
Tuition and Fees: $46,598
Business Insider: "Tufts University encourages students to pursue interdisciplinary studies at its two colleges, the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering. An overwhelming 90% of students are enrolled in the first, which boasts a liberal arts college feel in a research-rich environment."
Business Insider's rating is scored out of 5 and is based on the results of a 1,000-person reader survey that asked how much each college will help students succeed in life. Tuition was used as a tiebreaker, with cheaper tuition pushing a school to a higher spot.
Prev
Next
#8 Boston College
Overall Rank: 36
Location: Boston, MA
Score: 3.09 out of 5
Tuition and Fees: $46,088
Business Insider: "Boston College jumps four spots on our list, thanks in part to its tremendous growth in recent years. Undergraduate applications have soared 75% over the past decade, and voluntary giving by alumni has increased the university's endowment to $1.9 billion."
Business Insider's rating is scored out of 5 and is based on the results of a 1,000-person reader survey that asked how much each college will help students succeed in life. Tuition was used as a tiebreaker, with cheaper tuition pushing a school to a higher spot.
Prev
Next
#7 Amherst College
Overall Rank: 27
Location: Amherst, MA
Score: 3.31 out of 5
Tuition and Fees: $58,744
Business Insider: "Ranked the second-best liberal arts school in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report, Amherst College climbed four spots on our list this year."
Business Insider's rating is scored out of 5 and is based on the results of a 1,000-person reader survey that asked how much each college will help students succeed in life. Tuition was used as a tiebreaker, with cheaper tuition pushing a school to a higher spot.
Prev
Next
#6 Williams College
Overall Rank: 23
Location: Williamstown, MA
Score: 3.40 out of 5
Tuition and Fees: $46,600
Business Insider: "Williams was number 27 on last year's list, but our readers voted it up to No. 23 this time around. A top liberal arts college, Williams is set to host its own TEDx conference for students and faculty in January 2014."
Business Insider's rating is scored out of 5 and is based on the results of a 1,000-person reader survey that asked how much each college will help students succeed in life. Tuition was used as a tiebreaker, with cheaper tuition pushing a school to a higher spot.
Prev
Next
#5 Brown University
Overall Rank: 20
Location: Providence, RI
Score: 3.60 out of 5
Tuition and Fees: $45,612
Business Insider: "Brown is known for being the most individualistic of the Ivies, and with some of the happiest students."
Business Insider's rating is scored out of 5 and is based on the results of a 1,000-person reader survey that asked how much each college will help students succeed in life. Tuition was used as a tiebreaker, with cheaper tuition pushing a school to a higher spot.
Prev
Next
#4 Dartmouth College
Overall Rank: 9
Location: Hanover, NH
Score: 3.96 out of 5
Tuition and Fees: $46,752
Business Insider: "At 4,200 enrolled undergraduate students, Dartmouth is the smallest of the Ivies. But its size has no bearing on the prestige of its programs; the school was ranked No. 1 in undergraduate teaching courses by U.S. News & World Report for the fourth year in a row."
Business Insider's rating is scored out of 5 and is based on the results of a 1,000-person reader survey that asked how much each college will help students succeed in life. Tuition was used as a tiebreaker, with cheaper tuition pushing a school to a higher spot.
Prev
Next
#3 Yale University
Overall Rank: 5
Location: New Haven, CT
Score: 4.25 out of 5
Tuition and Fees: $44,125
Business Insider: "Our readers were not shy in praising Yale's hardworking professors: 'Yale is still the best ranking... school thanks to it[s] high profile faculty," one respondent pointed out. 'It's them who keep Yale in the top.'"
Business Insider's rating is scored out of 5 and is based on the results of a 1,000-person reader survey that asked how much each college will help students succeed in life. Tuition was used as a tiebreaker, with cheaper tuition pushing a school to a higher spot.
Prev
Next
#2 Harvard University
Overall Rank: 3
Location: Cambridge, MA
Score: 4.42 out of 5
Tuition and Fees: $42,292
Business Insider: "For the third year in a row, Harvard has held fast at No. 3. Harvard's most popular majors (or "concentrations," as they're called there) are economics and political science, and the Crimson school has been hailed for its think-outside-the-box approach to learning."
Business Insider's rating is scored out of 5 and is based on the results of a 1,000-person reader survey that asked how much each college will help students succeed in life. Tuition was used as a tiebreaker, with cheaper tuition pushing a school to a higher spot.
Prev
Next
#1 MIT
Overall Rank: 1
Location: Cambridge, MA
Score: 4.5 out of 5
Tuition and Fees: $42,050
Business Insider: "The tech school admits fewer than 9 percent of applicants, some of whom have gone on to achieve prestigious awards like Nobel Prizes, National Medals of Science, MacArthur Grants, and National Medals of Technology and Innovation."
Business Insider's rating is scored out of 5 and is based on the results of a 1,000-person reader survey that asked how much each college will help students succeed in life. Tuition was used as a tiebreaker, with cheaper tuition pushing a school to a higher spot.
Related Articles
Enjoy this post? Share it with others.
Email to a friend
Permalink
Follow us on Pinterest Google + Facebook Twitter See It Read It