Following a national search, New Mexico State University announced Friday that the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity has selected Mariana Ortega as its first assistant vice president for diversity initiatives. She will begin her new role on July 15.

“Mariana brings with her extensive experience working in higher education, particularly with diversity programs and various campus and community partners,” said Teresa Maria “Linda” Scholz, NMSU’s vice president for Equity, Inclusion and Diversity. “She has a strong understanding of public institutions and will bring innovative approaches to EID work at NMSU.”

As assistant vice president, Ortega will have direct oversight of and management responsibility for the EID division’s student-facing programs and services, including our American Indian Program, Asian and Pacific Islander Program, Black Program, Chicanx Program and LGBT+ Program. She will also fully support systemwide EID initiatives and work toward the university’s LEADS 2025 Strategic Goal 6, which aims to advance EID across the NMSU system as a foundation for institutional excellence.

“I am excited to be in a role where leading with solidarity and collectiveness will be at the core of what we do alongside our EID team and as a campus community,” Ortega said. “I strongly believe in the urgency of creating a more equitable future for all, knowing the journey there is not easy. It excites and honors me to have the ability to invest in a school and community that gave so much to me during my early years in my career; I still have colleagues and peers, and this feels like a homecoming for me.”

Ortega previously worked at NMSU from 2013 to 2019, where she served as a residence director, college instructor, new student registration specialist and orientation program specialist, in addition to serving as a faculty advisor for Alpha Xi Delta sorority.

Born in Guatemala and raised in Boaco, Nicaragua, Ortega is currently a Ph.D. student in the College of Education at the University of Illinois with a focus on Human Resources and Development. Her bachelor’s and master’s degrees are from the University of West Florida.

Ortega is currently the director for La Casa Cultural Latina at the University of Illinois. Under her leadership at La Casa, her team expanded, created and implemented several signature programs, including the Black & Latinx Summit, the Richard Chavez Ambassador program, IlliNiños, We RISE, C-Cube, and expanded on undocumented/DACA collaborations. 

“In my role, I plan to continue to build on the legacy the current EID programs have started and, collectively with our campus community, serve our current students while centering inclusiveness,” Ortega said. “My goal is to ensure our efforts are sustainable and we are building for future generations of Aggies.”