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Poonam Arora joined Grinnell College in July as associate dean for diversity and inclusion, chief diversity officer, and Rosenfield Professor of Diversity and the Liberal Arts. Arora will lead the College’s efforts to recruit and retain a diverse faculty, administrative staff, and student body. 

Formerly professor of English at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn., Arora also served as Hamline’s associate vice president for diversity integration. She has been an associate dean and professor at Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates and taught English and film studies for nearly 20 years at the University of Michigan at Dearborn. 

“Arora’s professional experience in celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion, and her scholarly expertise on identity formation in pluralistic societies make her a great addition to the dean’s office and to campus leadership in this important area,” says Paula Smith, former vice-president for academic affairs and dean of the College. 

Arora holds a B.A. from St. Stephen’s College in Delhi, India; an M.A. in English from the University of Delhi; and a Ph.D. from Binghamton University in New York. She also holds a graduate diploma in American studies from Smith College and a diploma in film appreciation from the Film and Television Institute of India.