Meet the Interim Provost

Donna Maria Blancero is on a mission to show that successful people represent all types of identities, including race, gender, sexual orientation and ethnicity. 

Your commitment to inclusion has very personal roots.

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a very proud Latina. It goes back to an experience in high school. I was getting a ride home from a friend’s father. She warned me not to tell him I was Puerto Rican because “he hates them.” That whole ride, I was so nervous that he would somehow find out and ditch me on the side of the road. It made me very much an advocate.

You’ve continued to be a role model for the Latina community. Why?

I met my first professor of color when I was a college junior and it had an enormous impact — just seeing someone I identified with in that position. I realized, “Wow, I could actually do this.” I want to help others experience that.

How can organizations embrace inclusion?

As cliché as it sounds, these values have to start at the top. When I was offered the position, President Davis-Blake didn’t mention that it would be great to have a woman or Latina; it was all about the skills I brought to the table — and that was so motivating. If organizations keep these issues front and center and ensure that inclusion is built into the fabric of the community, we can show the world that successful people have all types of identities.