Northwest Missouri State University has announced the appointment of its first vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Dr. Juanita Simmons has been appointed to the new position. Northwest said the role is designed to help broaden diversity, equity and inclusion efforts campus wide for students and employees and impact community initiatives.

The University’s Board of Regents, which authorized the University to add the position in April, approved the hire during a July 27 meeting.

“Dr. Simmons is the right leader at the right time, and we welcome her to our learning community,” Northwest President Dr. John Jasinski said. “Her life and academic experiences are rich, real and perfectly suited to help us bolster our efforts in terms of access and success, teaching and learning, and campus and community climate.”

Simmons comes to Northwest from the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she has served as a faculty member since 2003, teaching educational leadership and policy analysis. Previously, she served in various administrative roles in the Austin and Dallas, Texas, independent school districts. She also was a high school English, journalism and humanities teacher in the Dallas Independent School District.

She has Ph.D. and master’s degree, both in educational administration from the University of Texas-Austin. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English and speech from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Simmons will begin work at Northwest on Aug. 8.

“My interaction with this community has proven to be synergistic and in direct alignment with my lifelong work for equity and respect of personhood,” Simmons said. “The vision of President Jasinski, the Northwest Leadership Team and the Strategic Objective 3 members speaks hope for the entire Maryville community to become a model for unity and goodwill. A model is critically needed to restore hope in the midst of our current national uncertainties. The growth and development plans of this city, as shown by Assistant City Manager Ryan Heiland, make this vision ripe for Maryville to be that beacon of light for the nation. It is my desire to work with others, including the faculty, staff and students, to help put this great vision into action.”