According to the 2013-2014 undergraduate catalog, 21 percent of Cabrini’s full-time students are of a racial or ethnic minority. To help raise this number, the college decided to create a new position in admissions known as a multicultural recruiter.
Sandra Vasquez, a Millersville University 2012 graduate, has stepped in to the new role and is enjoying it thus far. “I really love it,” Vasquez said. “I did admissions work when I was an undergrad, but to actually see the back end of everything and how it goes down is amazing.”
The role of a multicultural recruiter entails recruiting actively and going to high schools that have a majority of minority students. Vasquez visits areas highly populated by Latinos, Africa Americans and other minorities to spread the word about Cabrini and draw students in. She is also a liaison to the student diversity office.
“I’m letting students know that when they come here they still have that support and an avenue to fit in on campus,” Vasquez said. Vasquez heard about the new position through a FaceBook message from Nakia Mack, director of enrollment here at Cabrini. Vasquez was hesitant to apply at first but decided to take the chance anyway. “I’m glad that it worked out and that they saw something in me,” Vasquez said.
After receiving the position, and first coming to Cabrini this past July, Vasquez decided to take the position because of the people. “Everybody was extremely nice and I felt welcomed,” Vasquez said. Although the drive to Cabrini is a little bit of a distance, since she lives in Lancaster, the home-like atmosphere that she is in makes it all worth it.
Admissions counselor Rachael Lubberman says that Vasquez conveys different experiences to Cabrini. “Her background working with multicultural students brings something that we were kind of missing here within the department,” Lubberman said. Vasquez is fluent in Spanish as it was her first language. She is able to relate to a broader spectrum of potential students. “She has a better understanding than some of us would,” Lubberman said.
African-American sophomore student, Tayler Holmes, thinks that a multicultural recruiter is a great addition to Cabrini. “It shows that they are really trying to make the student body more diverse,” Holmes said.
Vasquez has a few goals that she hopes to achieve while here at Cabrini. “I hope to definitely increase our population of minority students,” Vasquez said. “Not only that, but I feel like one of the things that needs to happen is not only bringing them here but being able to keep them here.” Vasquez hopes that while with working with Stephanie Reed of student diversity that they will be able to develop more programs and establish a feeling of community. “Statistics show that if a student doesn’t feel like they’re a part of the campus they’re not going to stay,” Vasquez said.
Vasquez thinks the longer she stays here at Cabrini the more she will learn to love the role even more. “It will only get better as I learn more facts and little things about Cabrini that I can really put out there to people,” Vasquez said.
