Julia Acosta, Director of Latinx, Asian and Native American Affairs (LANA) at Wright State University, has been appointed to the executive board for the American Council on Education (ACE) Women’s Network.
The ACE Women’s Network is a national organization that focuses on placing women in higher leadership roles. According to ACE’s website, the organization envisions, “a vibrant, democratic society that relies on postsecondary education to expand knowledge, equity and social progress.”
Acosta attended a leadership brunch at WSU that was sponsored by ACE. She described the conversations and ideas as ‘contagious.’
“For once, faculty and staff were united,” Acosta said. “there was just no difference, we were all women.”
Afterwards, Acosta was approached by Shari Mickey-Boggs, Associate Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Wright State, who asked if Acosta would be interested in joining ACE. When Acosta agreed, she took over Boggs’ role at ACE.
In order to join ACE, you have to be a woman in Ohio with higher education experience and in an upper-administration role Acosta said. Members are required to participate in conferences, annual retreats and monthly telecom conversations. She plans to be very active in this new role.
As the Director of LANA, Acosta is responsible for helping underrepresented students acquire leadership opportunities, internships, connections and skills. She strives to highlight students’ experiences, connect students who share those same experiences and integrate them into the university.
Additionally; she manages the office, creates connections on and off campus, raises money, finds opportunities and works to understand students’ obstacles, challenges and histories to help better guide students to success.
Acosta agreed that LANA and ACE are the perfect pairing. “I will always be thinking about the underrepresented women,” Acosta said.
Joining ACE is such significance because she now has another opportunity to empower women every day. “I’m leaving the room better than I left it for the next person that comes,” Acosta said.
