2 Graduate Students Named as New BIPOC Alliance Steering Committee Members

Two new representatives have been appointed as steering committee members for the Graduate School Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) Alliance for Excellence (GSBA): Joshua Agbomedarho and Cristina Diaz-Mateo.

Agbomedarho is in the second year of the MBA program with concentrations in supply chain and business analytics at the Whitman School of Management. He earned an undergraduate degree in agriculture economics from the University of Port Harcourt in Nigeria. Prior to coming to the U.S., he served for six years as co-founder and chief operating officer of startup Honey Flow Africa, a company working to digitize the process of beekeeping. He hopes to work in the U.S. after graduation to experience international corporate culture. As a GSBA representative, Agbomedarho hopes to “ensure that every graduate student not only feels a strong sense of belonging on campus but also has access to the most valuable information and enjoys an on-campus experience that exceeds their expectations in every aspect.”

Diaz-Mateo’s family hails from the Dominican Republic and she grew up in New York City in the Bronx. She is a master’s student in public administration in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Diaz-Mateo earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism, with a minor in sociology, from the State University of New York at Albany. Diaz-Mateo wants to use her education “to uplift my community and eventually lead my own organization.” As a GSBA representative, she wants to continue “the good work GSBA has done, foster a home-away-from-home for myself and fellow graduate students through professional and social events and be an advocate for our needs.”

The GSBA seeks to develop a supportive network of new and current graduate students who self-identify as Black, Indigenous or other persons of color. It supports events and social activities, peer and faculty mentorship, professional development workshops and forums, and visibility and accessibility for important resources for student success. The group is open to all master’s and Ph.D. students from any background, race, gender or other identity.

GSBA is led by a graduate student steering committee under the direction of Graduate School Dean Peter Vanable; student lead is Chelsea Bouldin and staff coordinator is Tracy Balduzzi.