Meet the DSA Staff

Cindy brings over 20 years of experience as a higher education administrator. In her role as Interim Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, she is responsible for the day-to-day leadership and administration of the division.  She provides leadership, vision, and direction for activities and services that enhance students’ experiences and engagement. She also facilitates open communication and information sharing between the students and the administration. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in biology at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, a Master of Education degree in postsecondary administration and student affairs from the University of Southern California, and a Doctor of Philosophy in organizational leadership at the University of San Diego.

Dr. Alanis serves as the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Title IX Coordinator. She focuses on creating an inclusive campus through programming, training, and creating strategic plans and partnerships in the Claremont community. She received her B.S. from Loyola University Chicago with a triple minor in Spanish, women’s studies, and literature. Jennifer also received an M.A. in arts, entertainment, and media management from Columbia College Chicago and an MEd in educational policy organizational leadership from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She completed a doctorate of education (EdD) in higher education and organizational change from Benedictine University.

• Leads the DICE Cluster
  • Office of Institutional Diversity
  • Office of Civic and Community Engagement
  • Office of Career Services
  • Office of Study Abroad
  • Office of Title IX
  • International Students and Scholars Program
• Partners with OIRE and DSA staff to prepare various assessment documents
• Partners with the Honor Board chairs 
• Serves as HMC Liaison to various Consortium Committees such as the 7C Title IX Coordinator working groups
• Serves as the campus Title IX coordinator and campus CLERY officer and a part of the On Call team, and as a Designated School Official 
• Serves as a point of contact for study abroad

Kim assists students in many ways, some of which include making appointments with the different deans in the Division of Student Affairs, managing the student health insurance program, submitting driver applications for students seeking to drive Mudd vans, and generally engaging students with witty repartee. Kim earned her bachelor of arts degree in political philosophy and art history from Scripps College.

• Making appointments with the different deans in the Division of Student Affairs
• Managing the student health insurance program (SHIP)
• Supervises DSA student interns and ADAA tutors
• Manages the VPSA/DOS calendar
• Budget management 
• Commencement
• DSA Secretary to the Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees

As the administrative assistant for academic and student affairs, Liz assists students in various ways. Some of these include approving flyers to be posted around campus, submitting driver applications for students to drive Mudd vans, and helping students find the offices and DSA staff members in Platt. Additionally, Liz processes student/staff/faculty reimbursements for the Leonard Fund and schedules appointments for students to meet with the various deans and staff members of DSA.

• Approving flyers to be posted around campus (digital or hard copies)
• Submitting driver applications for students to drive Mudd vans
• Helping students find the offices and DSA staff members in Platt. 
• Processes student/staff/faculty reimbursements for the Leonard Fund 
• Schedules appointments for students to meet with the various deans and staff members of DSA.
• Primary processor of Expense Reports, invoice paying, and journal entries in the accounts payable system.

As the associate dean for academic resources and student success, Amy serves as a connection point for students seeking academic resources and support, coordinates outreach efforts for students who are struggling academically, and provides workshops and programming for students and faculty. Amy’s work focuses on developing the whole student and creating an environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her master’s degree from Cornell University.

• Primary point of contact for students experiencing academic, health, and/or personal difficulties
• Coordination and management of Leave of Absence process
• Partners with the Associate and Assistant Deans of Academic Affairs
• Serves on HMC Care Team and participates on Scholarly Standing Committee and Academic Affairs Committee

Chris, who has been at Harvey Mudd College since fall 1997, is the associate dean of students and director of campus life. He directs and coordinates the gamut of campus life activities, including the New Student Orientation programs, Associated Students of Harvey Mudd College (ASHMC) advisement, Linde Activities Center/Gym (LAC) management, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) physical education classes and the DSA Muchachos Student Activities Team (on-campus social programming). Chris has bachelor’s degrees in business administration and art from the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and a master’s degree in college student affairs from Azusa Pacific University.

• Oversee all Campus Life activities and operations, including New Student Orientation programs, Social events in residence halls, Linde Activities Center/Gym (LAC) management, and the DSA Muchachos Student Activities Team (on-campus social programming).
• Instruct students in two Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) physical education classes
• Assist with management of bicycle safety and removal if necessary
• DSA liaison for ASHMC
• Assist with new student parking requests and approval; liaison to Campus Safety on parking-related issues.

As the assistant dean of campus life, Evetth creates purposeful student opportunities for connection, involvement and leadership through the oversight and advisement of New Student Orientation, campus activities, including the DSA Muchachos, the student government (ASHMC), the Linde Activities Center, the Harvey Mudd College mobile application, and by serving as a live-on dean. She also is an inaugural member of the Claremont Colleges Teal Dot Committee that focuses on bystander intervention strategies for students, faculty and staff. Evetth is a student affairs professional with a career spanning nearly a decade during which she has specialized in student leadership and development, orientation and transition, quality programming, social justice advocacy and assessment. Gonzalez received her B.A. in communication studies at Biola University and her M.S. in college counseling and student development from Azusa Pacific University.

• Manages On-Call Crisis Response
• Advises the ASHMC (student government) Executive Board
• Oversees campus parties and partners with students on large campus events
• Staff liaison to campus clubs and organizations
• Guides students through event planning processes/policies
• Leads the Impact Leadership Program
• Facilitates the HMC Leadership Awards
• Instruct students, faculty, and staff on Bystander Intervention Strategies
• Campus Safety Liaison

As the assistant director of employer relations and recruiting in the Office of Career Services, Jeanette is responsible for supporting relationships with outside organizations and to plan and coordinate a variety of campus events linking students with opportunities for internships, research, and full-time positions. Jeanette has worked in higher education and in career services for the past seven years. She previously worked at UC Riverside’s Career Center as the client outreach and career advisor and the on-campus interview and events coordinator overseeing recruitment efforts for major career fairs and provided counseling to all UCR students. Jeanette has a B.A in political science and law and society.

• Serves as the point of contact for employers, recruiters, and graduate school officials
• Oversees employer engagement and coordinates on campus recruitment, events and virtual engagement
• Coordinates on campus room reservations and event promotion
• Partners with Clinic, APR, and Advancement for the employer, alumni collaborations
• Serves as a point of contact for students and alumni – career services appointments
• Partners with the Claremont Consortium Career Services Directors
• Serves as point of contact for Senior Survey Data with OIRE
• Serves as point of contact for data for faculty and staff 
• Leads OCS and supervises the full-time staff

As a Career Advisor and Educator, Natasha supports students and alumni through one-on-one career advising appointments and educational workshops. Appointment and workshop topics can include resumes, cover letters, interview preparation and practice, job/internship searching, networking/making industry connections, applying to graduate school, and other career-related areas. Prior to coming to Mudd, Natasha worked as a Career Advisor at California Institute of the Arts. Before that, she earned her M.S. in Education with a concentration in Higher Education from California State University, Fullerton, where she also worked as a Career Coach. For her undergrad, Natasha attended the University of California, San Diego, where she earned a B.A. in Communication with minors in Cognitive Science and Education Studies.

• Advises students and alumni on their journey to graduate school, internships, and careers via 1:1 appointments, events, and programs
• Co-supervises OCS Peer Consultants
• Serves as liaison between students and pre-health advisors

Alyssa serves as a resource for Harvey Mudd students and alumni in their journey to graduate school, internships and careers. As Career Advisor and Educator she empowers students through career-related programs, events and 1:1 advising meetings. She also produces the office’s weekly newsletter and leads social media content creation. Her experience also includes different areas of student affairs including student support services and residence life. Alyssa graduated from California Lutheran University with a B.A. in Marketing Communication and is currently pursuing her M.A. in Student Affairs and Educational Justice at Claremont Graduate University.

• Advises students and alumni on their journey to graduate school, internships, and careers via 1:1 appointments, events, and programs
• Serves as the secondary contact for employers and recruiters
• Partners with the employer relations teams across the consortium
• Supervises OCS Student Workers
• Manages OCS newsletter, social media, and marketing
• On-Call Dean and Title IX Deputy Coordinator

Please reach out to the Office of Career Services for any questions regarding on-campus employment, job search, resume reviews, career connections, mock interviews, career fairs, employer events, and individualized appointments. The Career Services office can be reached via email at careers_services@hmc.edu or in the Platt Campus Center during office hours

As director of community engagement, Gabriela fosters new and current relationships with community organizations, coordinates student engagement and participation in community based learning activities and provides support for the development, implementation and assessment of service learning courses. Gabriela is a graduate of Pomona College and received her master’s in education from the Claremont Graduate University.

• Civic Learning Programs (programming of civic year-round efforts, such as book clubs, Power of Your Voice, etc.)
• Community Engagement Opportunities
• Liaison to and for community partners
• Academic affairs-related efforts (service learning, CE fellowship fund, internal and external professional development opportunities)
• Signature community/civic engagement models such as Inside Out Program and the Napier Initiative
• Assessment, data, and budget for CE efforts
• Collaboration on planning and writing for grants

As the associate director of community engagement, Danny organizes, develops and supports community engagement programming on- and off-campus, including student-led and community-led programs. He also manages and supervises the Homework Hotline program by working collaboratively with school districts, educators and other members of the campus and external community. Danny received his B.A. in psychology from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and his M.S. in college counseling and student development from Azusa Pacific University.

• Tutoring programs (Homework Hotline and America Reads/Counts)
• Summer Funding Opportunities (Summer Internship Fund & Projects for Peace)
• Voices of Engagement (from logistics to registration)
• Voter Engagement Programs (efforts across campus and at 7C)
• Mentorship to student organizations with community engagement opportunities

We encourage you to reach out to the Office of Civic and Community Engagement (OCCE) for any questions, programming ideas, prospective partnerships, logistical support, professional development opportunities, general inquiries related to outreach efforts, and or community/civic learning and engagement initiatives. OCCE can always be reached at communityengagement@hmc.edu or you can reach out to us individually:

As the assistant dean for institutional diversity, Arianna develops and manages programs, services and initiatives that promote diversity, inclusion and educational equity, as well as cultivates cultural understanding and competency. She is dedicated to developing programming centered on inclusive excellence and leadership development. She has done work in different areas of student affairs, such as student support services, multicultural affairs, new student orientation and residence life. Arianna is a graduate of Lewis & Clark College, where she received her B.A. in sociology and anthropology and her M.A. in student affairs administration.

• Manages the day-to-day operations of the Office of Institutional Diversity
• Plans and implements diversity, equity, and inclusion educational programming and events 
• Plans and implements the Summer Institute program 
• Supervises the OID Student Interns
• Supports the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives of the college
• Advises and supports the Affinity Groups Leadership Teams
• Serves as the HMC liaison to the 7C Inclusive Excellence Committee
• Serves as a Designated School Official 
• Serves as a Deputy Title IX Coordinator

Please reach out to the Office of Institutional Diversity (OID) for any questions regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and programming, such as Summer Institute, affinity groups, and campus resources. OID can be reached via email at oid@g.hmc.edu or in the Platt Campus Center during office hours. 

Dominique ‘Nikki’ Acosta is the Assistant Dean for Institutional Diversity and International Students and Scholars. Nikki is committed to transforming the higher education system to be equitable and accessible for underrepresented and underserved individuals. She has worked as a student leader for her collegiate Filipino-American community, a college adviser in Oakland, California, a research fellow at the National Center for Institutional Diversity, and in diversity, equity, and inclusion programming for faculty and students. Nikki is a graduate of UC Berkeley where she earned a B.A. in Media Studies and B.A. in Sociology and the University of Michigan where she earned her M.A. in Higher Education with a concentration in Student Access and Success.

• Serves as the Principal Designated School Official (PDSO) for F-1 students and Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO) for J-1 scholars
  • Processes F-1 visas for students,  J-1 visas for students, visiting professors, visiting research scholars, and faculty, Curricular Practical Training (CPT), Optional Practical Training (OPT), SSNs, travel signatures, and other international-related matters
• Advises and supports international students and scholars, and third-culture students 
• Plans and implements international-centered programming such as New International Student and Scholar Orientation.
• Serves as the HMC liaison to various committees, such as the 7C International Student Programming Committee
• Supports the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives of the college
• The main point of contact for the study abroad program

Please reach out to the International Students & Scholars (ISS) program for any questions regarding F-1 or J-1 visa regulations, policies, and processes, CPT, OPT, and international programming. The ISS program can be reached via email at DSO@g.hmc.edu or in the Platt Campus Center during office hours. 

As the assistant dean for health and wellness, Michelle oversees wellness programming on campus and work with the health educators and meets with students one-on-one to provide support and case management services. Michelle is a graduate of the University of Maryland, with a B.S. in public health. She also holds an MPH in health behavior and health promotion as well as an MSW in mental health and substance abuse from The Ohio State University.

• Meets individually with students to provide support and case management services
• Instructs and trains HMC faculty, staff, and students in Mental Health First Aid
• Oversees, plans, and implements wellness programming 
• Chairs the HMC Care Team
• Lives on campus and serves on-call
• Conducts BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students) assessment

As the assistant dean for health and wellness, Dominique helps develop and implement programs and works with students to provide guidance and support with wellness-related topics. Dominique’s work focuses on promoting health and wellness to improve student success and quality of life. She received her B.A. in public health policy from UC Irvine and her MPH from San Diego State University.

• Plans and implements wellness programming 
• Advises the Peer Health Educators
• Supervises the ProjectConnect student facilitators 
• Instructs and trains HMC faculty, staff, and students in Mental Health First Aid
• Conducts BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students) assessment

Please reach out to the Office of Health and Wellness (OHW) for any questions regarding wellness programming and mental health care on campus. OHW can be reached via email at wellness@hmc.edu or in the Platt Campus Center during office hours.

As the associate dean of students and director of residential life, Karen helps to coordinate and manage student housing, the first-year experience program, campus events and programs, and New Student Orientation. Karen has worked at Cal State University, Fullerton (CSUF) at the Office of Student Life and Leadership as their sports club graduate assistant. Prior to Harvey Mudd and CSUF, Karen was heavily involved in student government and was a student assistant at the Latinx cultural center at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (CPP). Karen earned her master’s of science in higher education at CSUF. She has a bachelor of science in kinesiology, exercise science from CPP.

• Provides assistance to individual students and groups, including conflict resolution and mediation
• Manages rosters, Symplicity, and any housing-related data
• Supervises the Proctors 
• Develops and revises residence hall policies and procedures
• Oversees the dorm opening/closing procedures
• Advises the ASHMC Resident Affairs Liaisons and assists with room draw and replacements
• Provide crisis management support and intervention. Lives on campus and serves on the on-call duty rotation.

As the assistant dean for campus and residential life, Vanessa helps develop student engagement by coordinating and managing student housing, student leadership initiatives and New Student Orientation. Vanessa has worked as both a peer counselor and new student advisor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Prior to Harvey Mudd she was a graduate student worker at Claremont Graduate Admissions Office. She is a graduate of UCLA where she earned her B.A. in Political Science and Spanish and received her M.Ed. in Student Affairs and Educational Justice at Claremont Graduate University. Vanessa is excited to continue her work at Harvey Mudd College and is committed to help make Mudd feel like a second home for all students.

• Facilitate room switch requests and roommate conflicts
• Manage and maintain office and department information and records 
• Supervises the mentors
• Assist with coordinating and implementing the New Student Orientation program. 
• Provide crisis management support and intervention. Lives on campus and serves on the on-call duty rotation.

Please reach out to the Office of Housing and Residential Life (ResLife) for any questions regarding living on campus, roommate/suitemate meditations, programming,  campus resources, and Room Draw. The ResLife office can be reached via email at ResLife@hmc.edu or in the Platt Campus Center during office hours.