UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — This fall, students visiting the Paul Robeson Cultural Center (PRCC) will see many new faces as the center goes through some exciting transitions. Over the summer, several interim staff started with the center and are working to transition this important cultural home into its next phase of leadership.
“The Paul Robeson Cultural Center has long been a welcoming and engaging campus space for many students, and while the space itself is important, the staff and students who give life to it matter most. I could not be more pleased that wonderful colleagues were eager for the opportunity to lead the center through this period of transition, and I am confident the PRCC will grow in importance for our students through the leadership and care of these able, knowledgeable, and fully committed professionals,” said Damon Sims, vice president for Student Affairs.
Stephanie Preston, associate dean for graduate educational equity and chief diversity officer for graduate education at Penn State, is serving as interim senior director of the PRCC. She is joined by two co-directors. André Culbreath, associate director of diversity, equity, and inclusion for Student Affairs, who will serve as the interim co-director of student mentoring and organizational engagement, and Tierra Ajanai Dinkins, associate director for the office of graduate educational equity programs who will serve as the interim co-director of signature programming and campus engagement.
Prior to her role in the Graduate School, Preston served the PRCC from 2008 to 2011 as assistant director and interim director, where she led the PRCC liaison group and was responsible for developing and implementing programs around identity development, academic success and cultural education. As the current interim senior director, Preston will guide the Center and its professional and student staff, sustain and strengthen collaborative partnerships across the University, and work with Student Affairs to launch the search for the next permanent director. Preston will sustain her current role in the Graduate School while taking on this interim position.
“I stepped into the role of interim senior director because I know the value of what this unit has to offer,” said Preston. “The legacy of the center has been transformative in the lives of many students and has always been a special place. I've seen students who come into the center at the onset of their undergraduate programs and refine and sometimes discover their untapped potential. It wasn't a decision I made lightly, but one that was more contemplative and thoughtful to ensure a smooth transition during this time.”
The interim leadership team will be thoughtfully looking at the PRCC’s programs and offerings and focusing their efforts on strengthening student engagement and campus partnerships as well as highlighting a few key signature events as the center celebrates its 50th anniversary this academic year.
Culbreath will provide leadership for BLUEprint, a peer mentoring program facilitated by the PRCC. He will also provide support and direction for the student identity caucuses and the NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Program (NUFP). He will continue to serve as a liaison to the various identity and advocacy offices on campus.
Dinkins will work to plan and support the center’s annual programming, which will include some well-known previous events as well as new programs. She will also work to build and maintain partnerships and engage campus partners with the PRCC.
The PRCC, a unit of Penn State Student Affairs, has been a cultural centerpiece at Penn State for over 45 years. The center moved to its current home in the HUB in 1999 and now houses an auditorium, a study area, meeting rooms, and more. It is also home to many multicultural student organization offices.
The PRCC's primary purpose is to make true the mission of the institution by serving students in the development of character, conscience, and social responsibility through fostering identity development, social justice, and inclusion. The center’s activities, which range from intimate discussion groups to speakers that fill an auditorium, center around identity development, social justice initiatives, cultural enrichment, scholarly initiatives and cultural education programs.