FDUAlumni
Curriculum Vitae: Elsa Nuñez, MA’73 (M) Major Spanish What You Didn’t Know Married to the former president of Northeastern University Richard Freeland Notable Accomplishment First Latina university president in New England Inspiration “For me, reading and talking about Don Quixote was a life lesson about the power we all have to accomplish our dreams.”
one of the most inspiring characters in literature,” she and improving the ECSU physical plant and boosting says. “Of course, I was also struck by [his sidekick] enrollment among minority undergraduates. Sancho Panza, who follows him with unswerving loyMoving at an all-out sprint, Nuñez directed alty. … their relationship is one of the great examples expansion initiatives that produced a brand-new, of true friendship in the history of the novel.” 170,000-square-foot science building and a top-toAccording to Nuñez, who went on to earn a bottom renovation of the university’s aging student PhD in linguistics at Rutgers University, that FDU litcenter. She also designed several programs aimed erature course was “a terrific example of how a liberal at forging closer ties with the local community in arts education can prepare you for a successful career Willimantic (about 30 miles from Hartford). — by teaching you how to think critically and how to But her most significant accomplishments don’t think for yourself.” involve bricks or mortar. By creating and then effecLike Quixote, whose comical horseback attacks tively managing her university’s innovative Dual on windmills never fail to make Enrollment Program five years her laugh, Nuñez has taken on ago, Nuñez was instrumental her share of hugely difficult in more than doubling minorNuñ e z says she’s challenges during an academic ity enrollment. “working harder than career in which she rose from Married to the former ever” to achieve the the lifestyle of a typical gradpresident of Northeastern uate student (Ramen Noodles University (Richard Freeland, “impossible dream” and Pop-Tarts at every meal) now the Commissioner of of making an to become the chief executive Higher Education for Massaoutstanding public at a major northeastern public chusetts) and the mother of liberal arts education university. two grown children (an anaesavailable to everyone Tapped six years ago to thesiologist and a college in America. take the helm at ECSU (encounselor), Nuñez says she’s rollment 3,300), Nuñez became “working harder than ever” to the first Latina university presachieve the “impossible dream” ident in New England — and one of only a halfof making an outstanding public liberal arts education dozen Hispanic women who now run American available to everyone in America — a dream born, she campuses. says, during her early years as a Puerto Rican immiA college professor and administrator who’d grant who gained a keen understanding of how earned numerous awards and citations at the Univerdifficult it often is for Hispanic and African-American sity of Maine System, Lesley University and the City students to succeed in the majority culture that surUniversity of New York (CUNY), Nuñez rounds them. was also the co-author of a ground“As a university president, I have to spend a lot of breaking book, Pursuing Diversity (Josseytime fundraising and handling numerous administraBass, 1990) which outlined methods for tive chores,” she will tell you with a cheerful smile. But, “democratizing” higher education by Nuñez likes to point out that her favorite recreational making it more accessible to Latino and activity requires nothing more complicated than a African-American students. couch, a cup of coffee and a book. “Every once in a After landing at ECSU in 2006, the while, when I get a few hours to myself, I can go back indefatigable administrator went straight to doing what I dearly love — sitting down to enjoy to work on two urgent tasks: expanding a great book like Don Quixote!” — T.N.
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