The University of Georgia recently named new leaders for three Student Affairs departments.
Rosa Githiora has been named as director of Multicultural Services and Programs, and Erin Benson will serve as director of the Disability Resource Center. Yvette Leverett, who already led University Testing Services as associate director, has been promoted to director and joins the Student Affairs leadership team.
Githiora will serve as a key campus leader in efforts to foster a more inclusive, welcoming and equitable community for students at UGA. She will oversee advisement for 13 multicultural student organizations and direct The Intersection, a campus hub for student dialogue, community building and multicultural education. Additionally, she will work with student organizations and campus departments to coordinate annual events, cultural heritage month celebrations and campus-wide programming that enrich the campus climate and foster a culture of mutual respect and inclusion.
In addition to serving as a primary point of contact and mentor for students, particularly those from underrepresented populations, Githiora will lead efforts to provide dynamic learning activities, programs and dialogues that engage the campus community and foster shared understanding.
She brings unique expertise in diversity and inclusion, previously serving as director of Global Diversity and Inclusion for Stratus Group Consultants, a Diaspora board member for the Center for Health Advocacy Network Gender and Education (CHANGE) in Nairobi, Kenya, and in leadership roles at Case Western Reserve University, the University of Toledo and the University of Akron.
Benson initially joined the staff of the Disability Resource Center in 2015 as senior coordinator and has served as senior assistant director since December 2016. Previously, she served more than nine years in Student Affairs at the University of North Georgia Oconee Campus, including seven years working directly with students with disabilities.
As director, Benson will lead the university’s commitment to educate and serve students with disabilities, ensuring equal educational opportunities as required by the ADA and other legislation. The Disability Resource Center houses three distinct services: the Test Accommodations Office for onsite classroom testing; the Assistive Technology Lab equipped with a variety of programs designed for people with disabilities; and Alternative Media Services, which converts required printed material into accessible formats for students with reading disabilities.
Leverett joined the University Testing Services staff in 2008 as coordinator, and has served the past several years as associate director. As director, she leads University Testing Services’ efforts to provide centralized testing and evaluation services for students, faculty and the surrounding community.
Prior to joining the university, Leverett worked as a program director for Boley Centers Inc. in St. Petersburg, Florida. Leverett’s experience in the fields of management and mental health services enables her to offer tailored testing support for the university community.
“A thriving campus community must be an inclusive, supportive community,” said Victor K. Wilson, vice president for student affairs. “These three leaders are uniquely qualified to design programs that will support, celebrate and inspire UGA’s students.”
Leverett was promoted this past spring, Benson’s appointment will be effective July 1, and Githiora will begin at UGA on July 16.
