Carlota Deseda-Coon joined the Intercultural Collective at Syracuse University as the director of the Kessler Scholars Program in September 2023. Her career in academia spans twenty years, working with students, faculty and families. Her experience has prepared her to work in the critical mission of providing first-generation students and families with a supportive environment that understands and responds to their needs, values their experiences and celebrates their contributions. She comes to this position with a strong sense of service towards students and their support networks, and believes in the transformative impact that intentional programming, processes and, more importantly, people have on individual students.
Following undergraduate studies in her native Venezuela, Carlota earned a master’s degree in museum studies from Syracuse University. She’s currently working on her doctorate, with a research focus on parental engagement on student persistence. She has been fortunate to hold positions that have allowed her to learn different perspectives offered by students, faculty, staff and families, from both the academic and career development side. She is a staunch advocate for student access and success, and effects change and productive collaboration by nurturing relationships internally and externally, and, more importantly, with the students themselves.