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Courtney Balderas has taken the helm as �԰�����’s new director for Student Diversity and Inclusion this fall semester. “The position was reconfigured for a clearer, more deliberate focus as it relates to students,” says �԰����� President Danny Anderson. "With this in mind, the University’s priority is focused on students as the group with the greatest need, consistent with our emphasis on student centricity."

“I am thrilled to be joining �԰����� at a time of growth and change for our nation, state, and community,” Balderas says. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion work is a personal value and passion of mine, not just my professional position. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to do this work alongside so many devoted Tigers.” 

With more than 10 years of experience, Balderas comes to �԰����� from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), where she worked in the Dreamers Resource Center. She assisted prospective and current students in accessing academic and nonacademic resources necessary to successfully thrive in higher education. She worked closely with external constituencies and community partners for additional support. She also served on UTSA’s Inclusive Excellence Advisory Board and the Census 2020 Immigrant and Refugee Committee, and earlier this year, Balderas was awarded the UTSA President’s Distinguished Diversity Award.

“While serving international students, undocumented students, and students from mixed-status families, I found myself assisting students who experienced a great deal of intersectionality and held diverse identities,” she explains.  

Before her work at UTSA, Balderas served in the Office of International Services at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She received her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Baylor University and a master’s degree in education from UTSA. When not working, Balderas enjoys traveling and hiking with her husband and being a dog mom to Jackson and Sofia. 

“My primary goal for the Student Diversity and Inclusion Office is to cultivate a community of care and intentionality around equity, social justice, and inclusive practices,” Balderas says. “I am eager to meet and listen firsthand to the needs and feedback of �԰����� students. I know there was significant work in creating the , which will help me build relationships with the students that I serve. I want to partner in finding ways for the community to begin to heal together and productively move toward immediately impactful and sustainable change.”

Balderas has virtual “walk-in” hours from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and you can email her at cbaldera@trinity.edu for the Zoom link. “I am here as a resource for the campus and fully committed to serving our students,” she says.