Office of Intercultural Education

students walking on campus

Mission Statement

The mission of the Office of Intercultural Education is to promote the cultural competence development of students through intercultural activities and programs. It also provides support and advocacy for students of color and students who identify as LGBTQ+ through Acorns and Harambee Houses and the LGBTQ Programs and Services.

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Our Team

  • Mared Alicea-Westort

    Mared Alicea-Westort

    Assistant Dean of Intercultural Education and Advisor to Latinx Students
    maliceaw@wellesley.edu
    781.283.2958
    Acorns House
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  • Téofilo Barbalho

    Téofilo Barbalho

    Administrative Assistant to the Office of Intercultural Education
    tbarbalh@wellesley.edu
    781.283.1270
    Billings 307
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  • Patricia Birch

    Patricia Birch

    Assistant Dean for Intercultural Education, Director of Harambee House, and Advisor for Students of African Descent
    pb100@wellesley.edu
    781.283.2133
    Harambee House
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  • AJ Guerrero

    AJ Guerrero

    Coordinator for LGBTQ+ Programs and Services
    ag100@wellesley.edu
    781.283.2682
    Penthouse (Billings 4th floor)
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  • Dean Inés Maturana Sendoya

    Dean Inés Maturana Sendoya

    Associate Dean of Students for Inclusion and Engagement
    imaturan@wellesley.edu
    781.283.2330
    Billings 310
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  • Karen Shih

    Karen Shih

    Assistant Dean of Intercultural Education and Advisor to Students of Asian Descent
    kshih@wellesley.edu
    781.283.2959
    Acorns House
    More
Our Values

We strive to act with empathy

We believe that open-mindedness is essential to educational excellence

We believe that personal growth is a lifelong process

We believe in building competence in our professional areas

We value collaboration through relationship building

We believe in supporting our communities

We strive to act with integrity

We believe in the power of communication

We value engaging in dialogues for understanding

Our Areas of Focus

Education

Develop students’ knowledge and skills to enable them to engage one another across social identities.

Affirmation

Develop a vibrant and inclusive sense of community on campus by affirming social identities through the support of particular cultural communities.

Leadership

Enable students to participate in experiences to develop the skills to lead in an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world.

Resources

For a list of our resources, click here. 

Be a CARING member of your in-person & virtual communities

During this time, community is more important than ever to maintaining connections with one another. Throughout the 2020-2021 academic year, our campus communities will often be connecting virtually through Zoom, while in some cases communities may convene in-person at physically-distant events.

Regardless of the means we use to gather in the upcoming year, we can all play a role in helping our communities thrive by following the CARING model. Below you will find some examples of how to use the CARING model before, during, and after an event.