Khristina Gonzalez
Photo courtesy of the Office of the Dean of the College
Khristina Gonzalez has been appointed Princeton University's associate dean of the college for programs of access and inclusion. Gonzalez previously served as associate director of the Princeton Writing Center.
Gonzalez, who began her new role this month, is responsible for programs and initiatives within the Office of the Dean of the College (ODOC) that support and advance Princeton's commitment to a diverse and inclusive student body.
"We are so delighted that Khristina has accepted this position," said Claire Fowler, senior associate dean of the college. "She has a wealth of experience in the areas of college access and inclusion, and she is truly empathetic to the full range of student experiences at Princeton."
Fowler added: "Khristina has a reputation as a creative and collaborative colleague, and I know she looks forward to working with all campus partners engaged in the important work of advancing the institution's commitment to diversity and inclusion."
Gonzalez oversees the Freshman Scholars Institute (FSI) and co-coordinates Princeton's participation in the national Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program. She will play a leading role in creating and managing ODOC initiatives to further enhance the experience of students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and other historically underrepresented groups.
"I think it is really important to ensure that Princeton is a welcoming community," Gonzalez said. "As the University continues to expand access to students from a range of backgrounds, it is important that we provide the resources so all students can thrive here — so that they can feel academically and socially at home on our campus. We also need to make sure all students' voices are heard on campus and that all are given the opportunity to help shape our community."
Gonzalez said she encourages students to reach out to her with their ideas for academic programming and initiatives, or to simply talk about their experiences.
"I'm really excited to get feedback from students. They know best about their experiences on campus," she said.
Gonzalez came to the University in 2012 as a postdoctoral lecturer with the Princeton Writing Program. She also worked as an instructor for FSI, and was closely involved with the development and implementation of FSI's multi-disciplinary course "Ways of Knowing."
Before Princeton, Gonzalez was an assistant director of the Brown University Writing Center and also worked at the "Excellence at Brown" summer scholars program. She earned her Ph.D. in English from Brown, her master's degree from the University of Notre Dame and her bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College, where she was a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow.
"I was fortunate to have scholars and teachers throughout my career, from high school through my current position, who have supported me as I learned how to engage with and contribute to the world of higher education," Gonzalez said. "I want to make sure that Princeton is the kind of place where students feel like they have the same kind of mentorship and support."
