MCC Daily Tribune
Claudia Hernandez Tarquino Named First Director-in-Residence of the SUNY Hispanic Leadership Institute
SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras announced Claudia Hernandez Tarquino has been named the first Director-in-Residence of the Hispanic Leadership Institute. Chancellor Malatras approved the appointment following the recommendation from the HLI Application Review committee, including HLI Executive Director and University at Albany President Havidán Rodríguez and SUNY Senior Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Chief Diversity Officer Teresa Miller. Hernandez Tarquino was a member of the 2019 graduating class of HLI fellows.
“In 1948, SUNY was created, in part, to be inclusive in providing a high-quality post-secondary for all—despite a student’s background or their heritage at a time when there was pervasive discrimination—and it is that mission that drives us still today—not just for our students, but also our faculty and staff,” said Chancellor Malatras. “There is more work to be done, and the Hispanic Leadership Institute will help SUNY achieve its mission. We congratulate Claudia Hernandez Tarquino, who is well-suited for this role and believes in the value of HLI as an investment in our future leaders. Claudia will help define her new role and responsibilities, and build on the program so that more emerging leaders from SUNY can benefit from this fellowship experience, and at the same time serve as role models and mentors within our campus communities.”
SUNY Board Vice Chairman Cesar Perales said, “SUNY’s commitment to the Hispanic community—our students, faculty, and staff, in particular—is a point of pride. And SUNY’s focus on building up the Hispanic Leadership Institute is further proof that we will only continue to expand on what it means to be the most inclusive system of higher education.”
SUNY Trustee Marcos Crespo said, “The Hispanic Leadership Institute is an outstanding program to ensure we are supporting our Hispanic/LatinX leaders across the SUNY system with robust professional development and networking opportunities that help them gain greater responsibilities and leadership positions throughout SUNY. This is one program that allows us to grow talent within our campuses, bringing to the forefront those who will serve to inspire our current and future students.”
The HLI is charged with developing and supporting the next generation of Hispanic/LatinX leaders across the SUNY system. The Institute has graduated 32 SUNY Fellows since its launch in 2017. The Institute strives tostrengthen leadership, team building, communication, and problem-solving skills for current and aspiring leaders.
The HLI Director-in-Residence will play a key leadership role in assisting the Executive Director and the SUNY SAIL leadership in the development and implementation of the Institute program. Hernandez Tarquino will also provide guidance and feedback to current HLI Fellows on their projects and exercises; meet regularly with Fellows; and lead training sessions, including a one-day training seminar for prospective applicants. In addition, Hernandez Tarquino will serve as a mentor to the Fellows and a member of the HLI Steering Committee.
HLI Executive Director and University at Albany President Rodríguez said, "Ms. Hernandez Tarquino has had a distinguished career at SUNY, which began when she was an undergraduate at SUNY New Paltz. Her background and experience in legal and budgetary affairs, as well as her oversight of SUNY’s education abroad programs, demonstrates her mastery of diverse areas of higher education. She will be an inspiration to our HLI Fellows, and I look forward to working with her as we continue to build on the Institute’s programs.”
SUNY Senior Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Miller said, "Ms. Hernandez Tarquino will be a dynamic asset to the HLI, which is rapidly gaining recognition for our efforts to make SUNY the most inclusive university system in the country. As the Education Abroad and Financial Manager for the Office of Global Affairs, she brings a unique perspective on SUNY to the HLI. I look forward to seeing what Claudia does to expand the talents of SUNY’s emerging and established Hispanic/LatinX leaders.”
HLI Director-in-Residence Hernandez Tarquino said, “I am both honored and humbled by this appointment to serve as the first HLI Director-in-Residence. This is an extraordinary opportunity for me to contribute to the development and implementation of the HLI and this new role while developing hands-on leadership experience to strengthen my professional growth and to help others find their path as leaders. My parents were both college-educated and instilled in me the importance of life-long learning. It is what brought me from Colombia, after earning my law degree, to the States and to SUNY. And it is what drives me to help others achieve greater knowledge to pursue their goals.”
About SUNY HLI
The SUNY Hispanic Leadership Institute serves as a resource for Hispanic and LatinX leaders in higher education, both in New York State and across the country. Its mission is to foster and support the professional development and retention of current and emerging leaders to create a more diverse university system.
Rosanna Yule
Government and Community Relations
01/28/2021