Andrea Paredes Santacruz, M.Ed.

Hi there! My name is Andrea (pronounced: On-Dre-Uh) and my pronouns are she, her, and hers. As the Director of Intercultural Student Engagement I oversee our Cultural Exchange Lounge, work with our affinity groups like Black & Latinx Student Union and UNE Alliance to put on fun events, and help run our Diversity Leadership Badge!

I'm originally from Long Island, New York, and decided to get my Bachelor's Degree from SUNY New Paltz in Public Relations and a minor in Black Studies. I was extremely involved in my campus community, and realized I loved helping the people around me grow, and I wanted to find a profession that would let me do that. After undergrad, I worked at SUNY Adirondack as the Student Engagement Diversity Initiatives Specialist. I loved what I was doing, so much so, I decided to get my Master's Degree! I went to Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts and received my degree in Higher Education Administration. After grad school, I landed at the University of New England as their Coordinator of Student Engagement. I had a blast putting on events like Wicked Big Bingo, Semi-Formal, and getting Yung Gravy and BBNO$ to campus!

As of September 2022, I am the Director of Intercultural Student Engagement and I love providing a space for our students to be curious and thoughtful. My goal is for students to feel empowered over their college experience and engage critically with themselves, their peers, and professional staff. If you ever need someone to chat with or a place to just be, come on down to the Cultural Exchange Lounge in the Danielle Ripich Commons 1st floor.