Dr. Tasneem Khaleel Award for Mentoring Young Professional Women
Dr. Rachael De La Cruz
Assistant Professor of History, CLASS
Dr. Rachael De La Cruz is all about building community. All you need to do is step into the Women鈥檚 and Gender Studies Center and you can see it.
Opposite a life-size cardboard cutout of former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg are signs that affirm life choices, elevate marginalized groups and support mental health. Her friendly demeanor is as warm as the 100 square-foot space many students call a home away from home at MSU Billings.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really important to me for women and LGBTQ students to have a safe place to be,鈥� she says.
That mindset led to her nomination as a mentor for young female professionals.
鈥淲hen she took over the Center's leadership, she not only continued the programming and services that were offered, but expanded them,鈥� her nominator wrote. 鈥淭here are regular events for students and faculty, advising sessions every semester, film screening and other activities open to the public, and community engagement activities such as tabling events. She has created a welcoming and supporting space for the whole campus community.鈥�
Students can often be seen making the trek to the Department of History where they seek guidance and a safe space to discuss issues that impact them.
In addition, Dr. De La Cruz serves on the Hispanic Outreach/La Plaza committee and has served on the DEI Council. She also represents the interests of women at the national level, in her role as the institutional representative to the National Women's Studies Association.
鈥淗er service work, her impressive teaching, and her impressive scholarship record make her an excellent choice for this award for mentoring young women professionals,鈥� her nominator wrote.