I am happy to announce that Anju Reejhsinghani, our first-ever Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer, has officially joined us in Santa Cruz. Her first day was Monday.
Anju is a wonderful addition to our campus community. She is a collaborative, accessible leader who seeks to lead by listening. She brings a wealth of professional experience in diversity, equity and inclusion work, both in the college classroom as an educator and as a senior leader. She comes to UC Santa Cruz from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where she served most recently as Assistant Vice Provost for Strategic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Administration.
Before transitioning to higher education leadership, Anju was a tenured associate professor in the Department of History and International Studies at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point. Anju’s experience with varied constituencies will help immensely as she partners with people around our campus to create a more welcoming and equitable institution.
At UW Madison, she reported directly to the university’s chief diversity officer and oversaw numerous units engaged in various DEI-related efforts, among other duties. She holds a Ph.D. and a master’s degree, both in history, from the University of Texas at Austin. She earned a diploma in economics from the London School of Economics & Political Science, and a bachelor of arts in history from Princeton University.
I offer my thanks to Judith Estrada, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, who has served as interim Chief Diversity Officer since last summer. Judith has been a vocal advocate for creating a more welcoming, just, and inclusive campus since her arrival at UC Santa Cruz nine years ago. Judith will continue as the office’s assistant vice chancellor.
Together, by prioritizing student success, elevating research excellence, fostering an inclusive campus climate, and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations, we are laying the foundation for a bright future for our campus as a whole, and for our students specifically. Anju’s arrival makes us even stronger. Please join me in offering her a warm welcome!
