Office of the VP for Research and Graduate Studies Welcomes New Director of Graduate Student Diversity Programs

Cheryl Burgan Evans, a dedicated advocate for graduate student research, especially among students of color, will join the University of Virginia’s Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies as its new Director of Graduate Student Diversity Programs. 

Evans holds a doctorate from The Ohio State University and has been a long-time faculty member and administrator at the Miami University of Ohio.  She was most recently the Associate Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Professor of Family Studies and Social Work.

As the Associate Dean of the Graduate School at Miami, Evans worked with admissions, financial aid and multicultural affairs.  Evans has also worked tirelessly to promote diversity within the student population.  She has served as the campus coordinator of the Student Achievement in Research and Scholarship (STARS) program- an innovative, statewide program in Ohio that encourages undergraduate students from under-represented ethnicities to attend graduate school and pursue careers in higher education.  In 2004, a unique conference aimed at recognizing the contributions of graduate researchers of color was named in Evans’s honor: “The Dr. Cheryl Burgan Evans Graduate Conference on Multicultural Research.” 

The creation of this new position at the University was recommended by the President’s Commission on Diversity and Equity.  Roseanne Ford, Associate VP of the Office of the VP for Research and Graduate Studies commented, “We’re fortunate to have Dr. Evans, given her broad experience and deep commitment, to lead our efforts to enhance the diversity of our graduate student population.  At Miami of Ohio she was very successful in fostering a sense of community among graduate students from a wide range of backgrounds.” 

As Director of Graduate Student Diversity Programs at U.Va., Evans will oversee activities including recruitment, retention, and mentoring designed to increase the enrollment of graduate students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, especially in the University's doctoral programs.  Additionally, Evans will be charged with developing ties between the University, historically black colleges and universities and other minority institutions.