Papp Names Chief Diversity Officer

President Daniel Papp announced Wednesday the hiring of Erik Malewski as the university's new chief diversity officer.

Malewski, who currently serves as an associate professor of curriculum studies at Purdue University’s College of Education, will begin the cabinet-level post at Kennesaw State effective July 1.

According to a statement from the university, Malewski is an expert on multiculturalism and served as senior diversity advocate at Penn State University from 2002 to 2003, after four years in the Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity.

“In searching for Kennesaw State’s next chief diversity officer, we wanted someone with the vision, knowledge and experience to further enhance the university’s commitment to advancing the principles of a diverse and inclusive campus community,” Papp said in a statement.

Malewski's duties will include enhancing cross-cultural understanding at the university by coordinating diversity-oriented programs and initiatives and developing policies, procedures and curriculum activities.

“It was evident from the moment I stepped onto the Kennesaw State campus that the university takes serious its missions to foster respect for differences in identities and worldviews and to graduate students who will contribute to their communities and make the world a better place,” Malewski said in a statement. “I look forward to helping with the effort to take Kennesaw State to the next level of preeminence as the new chief diversity officer.” 

Malewski succeeds Linda Lyons, who has served as interim chief diversity officer since August 2010. He was selected from a pool of 115 candidates in a national search chaired by Jorge Perez, associate professor of information systems at Kennesaw State and faculty executive assistant to the president.

Papp also announced Wednesday that Maureen McCarthy will succeed Perez as the university's new faculty executive assistant to the president, a three-year cabinet-level post.

McCarthy, a professor of psychology, has taught at Kennesaw State since 2005. She was recognized as the 2012 College of Humanities and Social Sciences Distinguished Professor and was honored with the college’s Distinguished Scholarship Award in 2010.