معرفی
Marcella Runell serves as Vice President for Student Life, Dean of Students, and Lecturer in Religion at Mount Holyoke College, having previously co-founded NYU's Of Many Institute for Multifaith Leadership and directed its Multifaith & Spiritual Leadership minor.
Her educational foundation includes an Ed.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Runell's scholarly work centers on interdisciplinary social justice education, with emphatic focus on race relations, multifaith dialogue, and critical pedagogy. Her research examines intersections of popular culture, friendship dynamics, and mixed-race identity through publications like UnCommon Bonds: Women Reflect on Race & Friendship and her chapter "Parenting Mixed Race Children" in Biracial Families. She actively bridges academic theory with practical program development in higher education equity initiatives.
Her distinguished recognition includes:
- NYU's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Faculty Award
- AAC&U's K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award
- NASPA honors for co-creating transformative programs (Faith Zone, Be Well, Ally Week)
- JFK Legacy Gallery inclusion and Brooklyn Borough President commendation
- Tanenbaum Center fellowship for interreligious work
Runell oversees comprehensive student life operations including Residential Life, Health Services, Counseling, Public Safety, and Athletics while serving on Embrace Race's advisory board and UMass Amherst's Center of Racial Justice as an affiliated member. Her media presence spans Inside Higher Ed, Boston Globe, and Huffington Post, reflecting national influence in educational equity.
