Q&A with Dr. Kenneth Cooper, Dean of Equity and Belonging
By Ella Tracy
Dr. Kenneth Cooper joined St. Kate’s on Jan. 15 as the Dean of Equity and Belonging. I had a chance to meet with him to discuss his work, his background and how he views this new role at St. Kate’s.
Q: Tell us about your background! How did you get into higher education?
A: I’m a small town country boy from Florida! Growing up rural required a lot of imagination, resilience, moral work and dedication toward things I hoped to accomplish. I take a great deal of pride in that.
I initially wanted to be a professor of political science, which led me to Washington DC. I took a job as an academic advisor at the University of the District of Columbia, and I absolutely loved every day of that job. So many of the kids there were low income, first generation, or underrepresented folks that I feel like were largely unseen and unheard by society. Helping students get through the system that wasn’t ultimately designed for them gave me a vocation and a calling.
Prior to coming to St. Kate’s, I did 4 years at St. Thomas, working as the Director of the Ciresi Walburn Leadership Fellows Program, which is a huge equity-based initiative.
Q: You officially started at St. Kate’s on Jan. 15. How have the first few weeks been?
A: What immediately stuck out to me is how warm and receptive everyone has been. I got attuned to the mission and the work people are doing on the ground before applying for the position. When I got here, I saw the materialization of that work. St. Kate's has historically been in a unique position because people have been so deeply rooted in their work. I feel very supported immediately coming in the door, and I feel like we already have a great sense and vision of where we’re going with Equity and Belonging.
Q: What value do you see in higher education in a time where higher ed seems to be devalued?
A: The messaging students often miss is that higher education is a lifelong pursuit. Educational experiences have opened me up to so many different things in life. I think education really broadens one’s horizons and puts them in a sphere of influence they might not have been in otherwise. Some folks might think of higher education as arcane or something that isn’t as applicable to the times, but I would say that’s quite the contrary. Matriculating through these programs puts one in a very unique and advantageous position to go on and create change. It’s more than a degree. It’s the experiences one gains, along with other externalities.
Q: Describe your position as Dean of Equity and Belonging. How will you interact with students?
A: I think of my role as a thermostat in a room. At St. Kate’s, we have a certain temperature that is dictated by what is happening on campus, the experiences students are having in the classroom and what they are doing in the community. I want to provide a comforting, compassionate place for students, faculty and staff. Creating spaces and allowing people to flourish in them is my passion right now.
My ultimate goal is to create an equity-based ecosystem for folks. That’s a space where people can come to feel seen and heard, and that adds value. I want folks to come into our offices and feel like they come away with tangible skills, tangible knowledge and tangible networks with people working to create greater societal good.
Q: Why did you gravitate towards St. Kate’s? What experiences prepared you for working at a women’s college?
A: What the CSJ’s have historically done resonated with me. St. Kate’s is an institution where I could see my values. I felt like this particular role at St. Kate’s during this particular time is absolutely necessary.
I’ve had the good fortune of being led by a lot of great women. The common connection between all of those leaders is that in addition to being incredibly intelligent people, they had a high level of intercultural competency and emotional intelligence. In a world where knowledge is so ubiquitous, discernment and judgement and relationships become important. The leaders I had a chance to learn from prepared me to think about how we can serve students, faculty and staff, how we can serve teams, how we can energize folks, and how we can get folks attuned to equity and belonging work.
All the stops that I’ve been at, I’ve had some very strong women leaders. In addition, my mom was a cop for 17 years. I’m used to seeing women in positions of power. It’s really quite natural!
Q: What is something fun you want the community to know about you?
A: I absolutely love niche level fragrances. I have about 50 bottles of various fragrances. During the pandemic, I gravitated toward scents that would invoke a sense of peace. My wife and I had a chance to go to France and visit a few fragrance houses 2 years ago. We even made our own custom scents!
Q: What is your message to students right now?
A: St. Kate’s is an institution that is here for you in a time of deep political unrest. Our responsibility as an office is to provide care, compassion and communication. We want to let students know the resources available to you and that you have an ally. Ultimately, we’re here to protect you, lift you up and make sure you matriculate through St. Kate’s with a degree. The work that we do at the CEB is not transactional. It’s transformational. My office is open to students any time they want to drop by.
