N O T E S S POT L I GHT ALUMNI EVENTS All alumni, parents and friends are welcome at Lehigh events. Find the complete calendar online anytime at mylehigh. lehigh.edu/events. THE RALLY Aug. 20, 2022 Campus Lehigh’s annual Rally with a parade of graduating class representatives is a long-standing Lehigh tradition. This year the Lehigh Class of 1976 welcomes the Class of 2026 as its adopted class. Watch for more information at alumni.lehigh.edu/ the-rally FOUNDER’S WEEKEND Thursday, Oct. 13, through Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022 Campus Each October since 1879, Lehigh has commemorated Founder Asa Packer with a campus celebration. This year, we will again celebrate his legacy with a full weekend of festivities. Watch for more information at lehigh.edu/about/foundersweekend. Building Inclusive Spaces As an undergraduate student at “The most enjoyable part was the leadership skills Lehigh, Cristina Arteta ’98 recognized that I developed through this process,” Arteta says. “But something needed to be done to improve what I value the most is the diversity that I was able to international students’ well-being at the feel frsthand.” university. At the time, she was losing in- After Lehigh, Arteta didn’t stop striving toward ternational friends and classmates as building more inclusive and equitable spaces. transfers to other universities. In her home in Ecuador, Arteta spent seven years “It was a chargedmoment neighboring an indigenous in time,” says Arteta, then a community of talented crafters, marketing major fromEcuador. “Diversity and inclusion were needed.” Arteta gathered with friends who hadmoved from abroad to come to Lehigh. Many of them had previous boarding school experiences in the U.S. and knew the importance of having an inclusive and safe space to collaborate within their learning community. “It was part of my personal belief that we needed to give a forumwhere everyone ALUMNI PROFILE Cristina Arteta ’98 predominantly women, who lacked the markets needed to gain fnancial independence and stability. Arteta helped connect them to the necessarymarkets. Arteta says her Lehigh experience was “a groundbreaking moment. ... It is like the moment I became myself.” At Lehigh, she says, she felt there were no limits to learning and exploring. “It was an amazing experience,” she says. “Academically it was great. I enjoyed my classes, but outside of the classroom could come in and feel comfortable and confdent that your diference would be appreciated,” she says. Thus, the Global Union was born, and Arteta, as the Global Union’s founder and frst president, worked hard to help bring it to life. “I was very motivated,” she says. As the idea gained momentum, Arteta was invited to a meeting of the Global Council by Roger Nagel, then director of the Iacocca Institute, and William Hittinger, then Lehigh’s interim president. She says she gained additional support from the university administration, as well as from Lehigh staf, including Christine Smith, then assistant director for development, who helped fnd a space for the union. Today, the Global Union is an umbrella organization of student clubs and groups with an international and cultural focus. It is also a place for students, faculty and staf to gather. is where my real learning took place. I was thriving. At Lehigh, if you were willing to, you were able to.” Arteta stresses the importance of eliminating blind spots for a brighter future. “If you don’t open your mind and broaden your horizon and have a diferent perspective, you will always have a blind spot,” Arteta says. And the purpose of her Global Union and international education is to eliminate blind spots through broader inclusion. “For the future, we still need to build these safe environments, because this is the only way that diferences can be appreciated,” Arteta says. To read more stories about Lehigh alumnae who have made an impact on campus and around the world, go to: go.lehigh.edu/globalimpact. Lehigh recognizes the leadership and accomplishments of Lehigh women like Cristina Arteta and the impact of coeducation through Soaring Together, a celebration marking 50 years since the admission of undergraduate women. Read more at lehigh.edu/soaringtogether. S UMM E R 2 0 2 2 | 3 5
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA0OTQ5OA==