Mark Kamimura-Jimenez has been named associate vice chancellor for student affairs and dean of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion at Washington University in St. Louis, according to Lori S. White, vice chancellor for student affairs.
Kamimura-Jimenez, who will join the university Jan. 1, is assistant vice chancellor of student affairs at Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, focusing on multicultural and international student services.
He succeeds Emelyn dela Peña, who left the university in August to become associate vice provost for inclusion, community and integrative learning at Stanford University.
“Mark has deep experience programmatically and at the policy level working on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. He is a fabulous addition to Washington University and to Student Affairs, and he will help us continue to elevate our work on campus climate issues related to the student experience in particular,” White said.
In his new role, Kamimura-Jimenez will oversee the Center for Diversity and Inclusion, the Office for International Students and Scholars and the Office for Religious, Spiritual and Ethical Life.
With a strong focus on the student experience, he will work collaboratively with Adrienne Davis, vice provost and the William M. Van Cleve Professor of Law and director of the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity; Nicole Hudson, assistant vice chancellor of the Academy for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Sherree Wilson, associate vice chancellor and associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion at Washington University School of Medicine; and other members of the Washington University and St. Louis communities on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
Davis and Hudson were co-chairs of the search committee for the position.
At TCU, Kamimura-Jimenez oversees diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives for undergraduate and graduate students and directs opportunities for all students to learn about DEI as an integrated part of their collegiate experience.
“I’m eager to work with Washington University students and the campus community to develop an inclusive experience that embraces the intersectionality of identities at the university and in St. Louis,” Kamimura-Jimenez said.
“At Washington University, the commitment to lead diversity and inclusion begins with the value of each student. The university’s philosophy to know each student ‘by name and by story’ is an extraordinary challenge and also means that our students are our story. I’m excited about building a culture where all stories belong,” he said.
Prior to joining TCU in 2017, Kamimura-Jimenez spent seven years at the University of Michigan, where he most recently was assistant dean for policy, programs and diversity initiatives at Rackham Graduate School, developing and implementing strategic plans to sustain and improve diversity, access and equality at the University of Michigan.
Among his many professional affiliations, Kamimura-Jimenez is a member of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, the Association for the Study of Higher Education, the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity, the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
He is the author of numerous journal articles and has presented at more than 50 invited talks, workshops and panels.
Kamimura-Jimenez, a native of Southern California, earned a bachelor’s degree in social science with a concentration in public and community service in 2000 from the University of California, Irvine; a master’s degree in organization and leadership in 2001 from Columbia University in New York; and a PhD in education from the University of Michigan in 2010.
