Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado has been appointed chief inclusion officer and senior advisor to the chancellor at Texas Christian University, the university announced March 3.
Chancellor Victor J. Boschini Jr. appointed Benjamin-Alvarado following a national search for candidates, TCU said in a news release. Benjamin-Alvarado will begin his duties June 1.
As senior advisor to the chancellor and chief inclusion officer, Benjamin-Alvarado will play a critical role working directly for the chancellor and closely with the provost, cabinet and other faculty and staff employees to develop a comprehensive vision for ensuring inclusive excellence throughout the university, the news release said. He will envision, coordinate and advance efforts around diversity, equity and inclusion for TCU while championing continued progress toward the university’s goals.
Boschini said Benjamin-Alvarado has a proven track record of success with an emphasis on inclusion.
“I am delighted that Dr. Benjamin-Alvarado has accepted this position and am eager to introduce him to TCU and the Fort Worth community,” Boschini said. “I am immensely proud of the strides we have made at TCU, and the university has declared its ongoing commitment to forge a more inclusive university for future generations that is welcoming to all. Jonathan’s leadership experiences on campus and in the community will serve TCU well.”
Benjamin-Alvarado has served since 2014 as assistant vice chancellor of student success at the University of Nebraska Omaha, where he also served as a professor of political science. He holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Georgia as well as a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a master’s in international policy and development from Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.
He chaired the senior vice chancellor’s Inclusion and Equity Leadership Council at the University of Nebraska Omaha and led development of a comprehensive strategic plan. Under his leadership, the university created an award-winning pathway program for underserved students to pursue admission to the Nebraska College of Law. He also was influential in the creation of legislation that created a path to licensing for non-citizen graduates upon completion of programs of study at all public and private institutions and in professional careers.
“TCU has made significant strides in building and cultivating an inclusive campus environment, which requires the work of everyone,” said Benjamin-Alvarado. “Courage, character, honest self-assessment and fortitude is needed by both individuals and institutions engaged in this important work. I care deeply about the health, vitality and condition of higher education, and particularly the advancement of all students, especially those from under-represented and under-served groups, and look forward to working with the Horned Frog community toward inclusive excellence.”
Benjamin-Alvarado is a past president of the Latino Caucus in Political Science of the American Political Science Association, served as director for the UNO Office of Latino and Latin American Studies, and is a former faculty associate with the University of Georgia’s Center for International Trade and Security. He is past director of the UNO Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence Program under the auspices of the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Benjamin-Alvarado also served as chair on the Nebraska Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. He currently serves as the director of the TEDxUNO program, and has been instrumental in the creation of UNO scholarship and pathway programs serving first-generation college students and other under-represented groups in law, national security and intelligence, medicine and public service.
“We welcome Dr. Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado to the TCU community,” said Trung Nyugen, Ed.D., assistant vice chancellor of student identity and success and chair of the search committee. “We look forward to working alongside him to continue the work to build more bridges between TCU and the Fort Worth community. He will help strengthen our vision and continue TCU’s commitment to inclusive excellence.”