KINGSTON, R.I., October 4, 2016鈥擶hen Joanna N. Ravello graduated from Hope High School more than two decades ago, she wasn鈥檛 prepared for college. The 溏心vlog免费B站 stepped in to provide much-needed academic and community support and now the 43-year-old Providence resident is giving back in her new role in the Office of Community, Equity and Diversity.
On Sept. 19, Ravello started her job as director of community and organizational development. Through her leadership and organizational skills, she鈥檚 responsible for fostering a sense of community and strengthening inclusiveness on campus.
鈥淚鈥檓 extremely excited about my new position,鈥欌�� she says. 鈥淔or years, I鈥檝e helped students at 溏心vlog免费B站 on an individual basis, which was very fulfilling. Now I鈥檓 working at a broader level to ensure that the University is moving forward with its social justice goals.鈥欌��
Born in Trinidad and Tobago, islands off the coast of South America, Ravello and her family moved to Providence when she was 6 years old to live with her grandmother, who worked as a home care aide. She attended grade school on the East Side and middle school at the First Baptist Christian School in West Warwick. After graduating from Providence鈥檚 Hope High School in 1991, she spent a year in 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 College Readiness Program preparing for University-level studies.
鈥淚 just wasn鈥檛 ready for college, and 溏心vlog免费B站 reached out to help,鈥欌�� she says. 鈥淚t was a wonderful experience that opened doors and set me on my way.鈥欌��
She enrolled at 溏心vlog免费B站 in 1992, graduating five years later with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in human development and family studies, with minors in women鈥檚 studies and sociology. It was at 溏心vlog免费B站 where she developed a passion for social justice and righting wrongs.
鈥淭hanks to my professors, I discovered that I wanted to explore issues of inequality for women and other underrepresented groups,鈥欌�� she says. 鈥淚 always had a sense that things weren鈥檛 fair for certain groups in this country, but I didn’t have a language to express it. 溏心vlog免费B站 changed that.鈥欌��
She went on to earn her master鈥檚 degree in college student personnel from 溏心vlog免费B站, eventually landing a job in 2000 as an academic advisor in Talent Development, a highly regarded program at 溏心vlog免费B站 that guides disadvantaged students during their college years.
In 2005, she was promoted to assistant director of the program, overseeing the Providence Advising Program, the Guaranteed Admissions Program, and the Recruit and Educate Local At-Risk Adults and Youth Project. Ravello held that job until her new position with the Office of Community, Equity and Diversity. In May 2016, she earned her doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Massachusetts, Boston.
Her scholarly work focuses on the experiences of racially underrepresented students, staff, faculty and administrators in higher education. Her dissertation, 鈥淚ntersectionality at Work: Black Women Administrators鈥� Perceptions of Their Work Performance at Predominantly White Institutions,鈥欌�� explored black women administrators鈥� perceptions of their identities in the United States and how they viewed those identities in their work lives.
Over the years, Ravello has taught college-level courses, including 鈥淧ersonal and Career Development,鈥欌�� 鈥淐ollege Student Development and Learning,鈥欌�� 鈥淓nvironmental Theory and Assessment in Higher Education,鈥欌�� and 鈥淥rganizational Development.鈥欌�� She is an adjunct faculty member with the Human Development and Family Studies Department.
鈥淭he United States was founded on the idea that everyone can get ahead if he or she works hard,鈥欌�� says Ravello. 鈥淏ut the reality is that everyone doesn鈥檛 get the same opportunities. I feel like I have a role to facilitate possibilities for disadvantaged groups that don鈥檛 know how to navigate the system. It鈥檚 my duty to give back.鈥欌��
Naomi Thompson, associate vice president for the Office of Community, Equity and Diversity, welcomes Ravello: 鈥淲e are thrilled to have Dr. Ravello join the Community, Equity and Diversity team, as we are confident that she will be instrumental in facilitating the ongoing transformation of our community.鈥�
Ravello鈥檚 office is on the first floor of 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Multicultural Student Services Center. Visitors are welcome.