CSUMB has a valuable new addition to its diversity team. Nizhoni Chow-Garcia, Ph.D has been named the new associate director of inclusive excellence, coming to CSUMB from Hartnell College where she served as the director of the MESA program. Prior to that, Chow-Garcia worked at the Rochester Institute of Technology, working with women and students of color in STEM as well as Native student populations

Originally from Southern California, Chow-Garcia earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. She earned her master’s degree in education from the University of New Haven and taught middle school social studies in Connecticut for a number of years prior to moving to Rochester, New York.

Once there, Chow-Garcia transitioned to higher education at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). At RIT she served as the director of the Native American Future Stewards Program and the Collegiate Science Technology Entry Program (a NY state STEM diversity grant), and as interim director of the Multicultural Center for Academic Success. Recently, she completed her Ph.D. in higher education from the University of Rochester and moved to Monterey where she began her position at Hartnell.

“My academic and professional areas of interest are broadly in the field of diversity and equity,” said Chow-Garcia. “More specifically, in working to increase the success of Native Americans in higher education, supporting women and students of color in STEM, and engaging in critical indigenous frameworks and methodologies.”

Her work has most recently been recognized as the NASPA Melvene D. Hardee Dissertation of the Year Award and the ACPA Marylu McEwen Dissertation of the Year Award. In her spare time, Chow-Garcia can be found running after her toddler, traveling and learning how to paddle board.