Experienced Diversity Advocate Named UMD’s First VP of Diversity and Inclusion

The University of Maryland has named a longtime higher education administrator in the fields of diversity and equity to its new position of vice president of diversity and inclusion.

Georgina Dodge, who will join the University of Maryland in June, will work closely with senior leaders, faculty, staff, students and external constituencies to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and respect as core institutional values. She will be a member of the President’s Cabinet​ and work with the senior vice president and provost, the Provost’s Council of Deans and other senior leaders to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment.

“Following a highly competitive national search, Georgina was selected based upon her 23-year career of successful leadership in diversity, equity and inclusion at three universities,” said university President Wallace D. Loh. “She is a tireless advocate for human rights, civil liberties and equal opportunity, and we welcome her to Maryland.”

Since 2017, Dodge has served as chief diversity officer and associate provost for diversity, equity and inclusion at Bucknell University. She held similar roles as chief diversity officer, associate vice president and Title IX coordinator at the University of Iowa, and assistant vice provost of the Office of Minority Affairs at the Ohio State University, where she convened and directed the university’s Bias Assessment and Response Team, produced the university’s annual diversity report and helped develop metrics for diversity performance evaluations.

“I am honored to be chosen to lead diversity and inclusion at the University of Maryland,” said Dodge. “Across many higher education institutions, I have listened and learned from the communities I serve, and I look forward to partnering across the university to foster a vibrant and inclusive climate for all.” 

A first-generation college student, Dodge brings a unique perspective to Maryland as an individual who took an unconventional path to educational and professional success. Prior to her career in academics, she served in the U.S. Navy as an electronics technician. Upon completion of her six-year enlistment, Dodge began her pursuit of an A.A. from Golden West Community College in Huntington Beach, Calif. After graduating with honors, Dodge completed a B.A. in English from the University of California Irvine, graduating summa cum laude. She went on to earn both her M.A. and Ph.D. in English from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Following a six-year appointment as an assistant professor of English at the Ohio State University, where she taught courses in African-American, Asian, multiracial and women’s literatures, Dodge became director of the Department of African American and African Studies at the community extension center in Columbus, Ohio. There, she developed and implemented enrichment courses for community residents, worked with city and community officials on citizen beneficial partnerships, and continued to develop multiethnic-focused courses under the university umbrella.

Along with her various memberships to professional organizations like the Association of Title IX Administrators and Association on Higher Education and Disability, she organized the Women of Color Caucus within the Society for the Study of Multi-Ethnic Literatures of the United States and has served in several other positions throughout her career. Dodge was also featured on the September 2018 cover of Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.