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Seven UMass Boston faculty and staff, including Chancellor Marcelo Su谩rez-Orozco, have been named to Get Konnected!鈥檚 inaugural list of the Most Influential People of Color in Higher Education. The list was unveiled earlier this month during a virtual event in partnership with GBH media.

鈥� This list reflects the remarkable expertise and the diversity within the UMass Boston community. 鈥�

Included in the list are:

• Paul Watanabe, director of the Institute for Asian American Studies and professor of political science,
• Lorna Rivera, associate professor of women's, gender, and sexuality studies, and director of the Gast贸n Institute,
• Georgianna Mel茅ndez, assistant chancellor for diversity, equity, and inclusion,
• Miren Uriarte, professor emeritus of human services, and co-founder of the Gast贸n Institute,
• J. Keith Motley, professor of management and chancellor emeritus,
• Connie S. Chan, professor emerita in the McCormack Graduate School
• and Chancellor Marcelo Su谩rez-Orozco.

Charles Desmond, former vice chancellor for student affairs and a member of the UMass Boston Board of Visitors, also made the list.

鈥淭his list reflects the remarkable expertise and the diversity within the UMass Boston community,鈥� said Provost Joseph B. Berger. 鈥淚 congratulate each of our honorees and applaud this well-deserved public recognition for people of color in higher education and their incredible contributions.鈥�

Created by , in partnership with Colette Phillips Communications, Inc., the GK Fund, and GBH, the list is the first of its kind in the history of the commonwealth, Colette Phillips said.

鈥淥ne of the reasons that Get Konnected! started putting together these events and these lists is because we are the hidden figures in Massachusetts and in Greater Boston,鈥� Phillips said. 鈥淲e thought it was important to spotlight, to amplify, to elevate and to document those professionals and people of color who are contributing to the fabric鈥攖he economic, the academic, the innovation, the technology鈥� every aspect of the fabric of our lives here in the Commonwealth, none more impactful than the institutions of higher education.鈥�

鈥淚 was just thinking, ten years ago, would we have been able to do a wonderful event like this with so many presidents, and so many leaders of color, so this is so exciting,鈥� said Liz Cheng, general manager for television at GBH.

Watch the list unveiling and a panel discussion on .