Bucknell alumna returns to serve as vice president of equity and inclusive excellence
Feb. 16—The Daily Item
LEWISBURG — Following a nationwide search, Bucknell University has hired Vernese Edghill-Walden, a 1987 graduate of the university, to serve as its first vice president of equity and inclusive excellence.
Edghill-Walden is currently vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer at Northern Illinois University (NIU). She will join Bucknell on July 31.
"I am thrilled that Dr. Edghill-Walden is returning to Bucknell to lead us in the area of equity and inclusive excellence, particularly since she played such a significant role in that area as a student leader," said Bucknell President John Bravman. "She brings a vast amount of higher education academic leadership experience, and we look forward to her guidance as we address key strategic goals in equity and inclusive excellences."
The vice president of equity and inclusive excellence will plan, lead and coordinate all of the university's diversity, equity and inclusion resources for students, faculty and staff.
"I am honored to return to my alma mater. As an undergraduate, Bucknell shaped my career path and sparked my passion for student-centered advocacy and social justice. It undoubtedly led me to a career in higher education," said Edghill-Walden. "I was an engaged student leader and through that engagement, I found my passion for diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education.
"I am excited to return to the community where I discovered my passion and purpose for this work. It is definitely a full-circle moment for me. Equity is everyone's work, and I look forward to chartering a vision for us to advance institutional equity and inclusive excellence together," she said.
More than 3 decades in academic leadershipEdghill-Walden has more than 30 years of higher education academic leadership experience. She has worked at NIU since June 2020, and also served as interim chief human resources officer for one year. Previously she served as the university's senior associate vice president for academic diversity and chief diversity officer for five years.
Prior to her employment at NIU, Edghill-Walden held positions at City Colleges of Chicago, District Office, as provost and chief academic officer from 2013 to 2015; associate vice chancellor of general education from 2012 to 2013 and executive director of academic development from 2010 to 2012.
She was associate director of research and evaluation for the City Colleges of Chicago, Richard Daley College for three years between 2007 and 2010.
Edghill-Walden was also assistant dean and director of the Center for Black Culture and Multicultural Programs at the University of Delaware for 12 years and alternative housing coordinator and minority student advisor at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster for one year.
She was the recipient of the Bucknell University Multicultural Student Services Center's Founders Award in October 2012 for spearheading the creation of the Multi-Culture Center (now called Multicultural Student Services) at Bucknell in 1986.
She co-authored a chapter in the new book, The Experiences of Black Women Diversity Practitioners in Historically White Institutions and is the co-author of A Framework for Advancing Anti-Racism Strategy on Campus, a publication of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education of which she is a member.
Edghill-Walden earned her bachelor of arts degree in sociology with minors in counseling and human service systems from Bucknell in 1987. She earned both a master of education degree and Certificate in Community Economic Development from the University of Delaware, and a doctor of philosophy in sociology from Howard University.
Guest speaker
The public will have a chance to hear Edghill-Walden at the Griot Institute for the Study of Black Lives & Cultures 2023 Spring Series from 7 to 8:30 p.m. March 1 in the Great Room (101/102) in the Hildreth-Mirza Hall Humanities Center. The event is free and open to the public.
