Diane M. Ariza

Diane Ariza joined Southern in July 2020, bringing more than two decades’ experience of administrative leadership in social justice and a background of teaching and research in ethnic studies.

Having worked at several large- and medium-sized institutions, Ariza has in-depth knowledge of both academic and student affairs. She has worked with senior officers on campus-wide strategic plans focused on increasing and retaining the number of underrepresented students, faculty and staff through programming, mentorship, and the development of institutional policies.

Most recently, Ariza served as Vice President for Community and Belonging at Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y., and Chief Diversity Officer at Quinnipiac University. As an administrator and strategist at both institutions, she has worked with senior leadership teams to promote greater access and inclusion through systematic and structural change, ensuring that all students, faculty, and staff reach their fullest potential.

Ariza holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Sociology from Western Michigan University (WMU) with a concentration in ethnic and race relations, as well as a Master of Arts degree in Anthropology from WMU. Her bachelor’s degree is in history and Spanish from Stetson University in Florida.