Wittenberg University has announced that Corrine Witherspoon, assistant director of inclusive excellence and strategic retention at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Engineering and Applied Science, will serve as the new director of the William A. McClain Center for Diversity in the Office of Student Development. Witherspoon is expected to begin her new role on Sept. 21.
“We are excited to welcome Corrine to Wittenberg," said Casey Gill, vice president of student development and dean of students. "Corrine's exceptional experience in the field of diversity, equity, and inclusion will be invaluable to our community, as will her collaborative approach to leadership and shared aim of advancing inclusive excellence at our University."
With proven competencies in program development, implementation, marketing, retention, and assessment, Witherspoon is a veteran higher education administrator with 15 years of experience in the areas of diversity, inclusion, gender, and social justice training, fiscal allocation and management, student advising and support, and personnel management. She also brings considerable awareness and sensitivity to institutional challenges affecting multicultural student recruitment, retention, matriculation, and graduation.
At the University of Cincinnati, Witherspoon was responsible for working collaboratively throughout the college and university to develop and coordinate programmatic and training efforts that foster an inclusive community for a broad range of constituents. She worked with student leaders, administrators, faculty, staff, and external partners on a robust set of college-wide diversity programming initiatives, such as the emerging ethnic engineers' program, educational exhibits, public lectures, and roundtable discussions focused on social, cultural, and political issues.
While overseeing the creation and delivery of press releases, advertisements, and other marketing materials related to the Office for Inclusive Excellence and Community Engagement efforts, she coordinated, implemented, and marketed diversity programs, educational exhibits, and public lectures, and led/conducted training and professional development sessions with internal and external constituents. While working in various roles at Miami University, the University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College, the University of Dayton, Miami University-Hamilton, and Ohio University, she also served on numerous committees.
“I am very much looking forward to connecting with the Wittenberg University community,” Witherspoon said. “I am especially excited about building a program for underrepresented students that embraces an inclusive environment and enhances an appreciation for diversity. I’ve heard great things about William A. McClain and his legacy. I’m confident that as a community we will make him proud of the Center for Diversity at Wittenberg University.”
Witherspoon earned her B.A. in Black world studies and English literature from Miami University in 2003; her master’s in education in college student personnel from Ohio University in 2005; and is currently working on her doctor of education in educational leadership at Northern Kentucky University. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the 2013 Miryam Award, the 2016 Miriam Spencer Diversity Ambassador Award, the 2016 UC-Blue Ash Distinguished Service “Rising Star” Award, the 2016 YWCA Rising Star: Cincinnati YWCA, and the 2016 Distinguished Pearl: Sister to Sister Award AKA- Sigma Omega Chapter. She is also a current member of the Phi Psi Omega chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
