ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø launches Office of the Vice President for Culture and Connection in 2026

A new name marks a decade of impact and a renewed mission-driven commitment to prepare students for a diverse and changing world.

After 10 years of growth in strengthening campus connection and building students¡¯ intercultural skills, ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø will evolve its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion into the Office of the Vice President for Culture and Connection beginning in 2026.

¡°What makes ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø remarkable is our commitment to connection and to the many cultures, identities and lived experiences that shape our campus and the broader Quad-Cities community,¡± said Dr. Gauri A. Pitale, vice president for culture and connection. ¡°We build bridges and foster meaningful relationships, because at its core this is about human connection.¡±

The launch is part of ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø¡¯s ¡°Ten Years of Becoming¡± ¨C a reflection on the growth and change since the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion was created in 2016. Across conversations with students, faculty and staff, two themes surfaced again and again: students thrive when they feel connected, and when they gain the cultural understanding that prepares them for the world today.

¡°Over the past 10 years, what the office achieved naturally expanded in reach and depth,¡± Dr. Pitale said. ¡°While we have strengthened recruitment and support for international students, U.S. students of color and first gen students, our focus has always been on serving the evolving needs of all students. As those needs have shifted, we have responded by expanding our services to ensure every student can thrive. 

¡°This work remains grounded in ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø¡¯s broader mission to prepare students for leadership and service in a diverse and changing world.¡± 

The Office of the Vice President for Culture and Connection will drive campus efforts to foster meaningful connection, strengthen the skills that build cultural understanding and ensure every student is equipped for a life of purpose in an interconnected world. The mission remains steeped in ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø¡¯s Lutheran commitments, which guide the community to dignity, justice and love of neighbor.

¡°Our focus is on helping every student flourish, at ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø and after,¡± said ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø President Andrea Talentino. ¡°The Office of the Vice President for Culture and Connection strengthens that promise, ensuring our practices reflect both our college¡¯s values and the world that awaits our students.¡±

The Office of the Vice President for Culture and Connection will guide three strategic areas of work across campus:

• Cross-Cultural Competence ¨C Build campuswide capacity to engage difference through shared dialogue, intercultural learning and community-building.
• Global Intercultural Experiences ¨C Expand interconnection with a growing international student body and an increase in global learning opportunities for all students.
• Culture and Identity Building ¨C Strengthen a campus culture grounded in identity awareness, inclusive norms and community accountability and in promotion of the college¡¯s policies prohibiting discrimination.

¡°These priorities reflect evolution throughout a decade of progress,¡± Dr. Pitale said. ¡°They respond to the needs of today¡¯s students, and they honor our mission as a college grounded in the liberal arts and an inclusive expression of our foundational Lutheran principles.¡±

New programming through the office will include Cultures in Motion, to celebrate and affirm diverse identities and creative traditions represented on campus. The initiatives will feature exhibitions, performances, workshops and collaborative projects designed to spark dialogue and strengthen community. 

The Office of the Vice President for Culture and Connection will roll out new programming in the months ahead.

Ashley Allen, executive director for intercultural experiences, noted these programs will give students new ways to express themselves and connect across cultural differences. ¡°We have grown to serve a student body that is now more than 20% international, and is drawn from more regions and backgrounds than ever before,¡± Allen said. ¡°Students want ways to share who they are, and to learn from one another. The new programs will create opportunities for learning and connection across campus.¡±

The evolution of the office and its work honors a decade of foundational leadership. President Emeritus Steve Bahls, who saw the launch of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in 2016, reflected on the significance of this moment.

¡°Throughout the past decade, ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø has steadily strengthened its commitment to facilitating the success of all students,¡± he said. ¡°It is gratifying to see this next chapter taking shape with clarity and purpose.¡±

A new book titled ¡°Called to Reckon,¡± forthcoming from Southern Illinois University Press, reflects on how ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø has changed over time and how the college continues to live out its mission. Edited by ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø Professor of History Dr. Jane Simonsen and featuring essays by ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø faculty, alumni and college leaders, the collection includes a preface by President Emeritus Steve Bahls and an epilogue by President Andrea Talentino.  

¡°Called to Reckon¡± presents a close look at a century of change at ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø, providing deeper context for cultural changes in the past 10 years.

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