Dr. Ufuoma C. Abiola named inaugural Executive Head and Associate University Librarian for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Princeton University Library

Dr. Ufuoma C. Abiola has been named the inaugural Executive Head and Associate University Librarian for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at Princeton University Library (PUL). In her role, Abiola will provide strategic vision, advice, and leadership for DEI initiatives across PUL. Reporting directly to University Librarian Anne Jarvis, Abiola will serve on the Library Strategy Council senior leadership team. Her first day will be August 29, 2022.

With Abiola’s expertise and leadership, Jarvis and the staff of PUL look forward to strategically supporting PUL’s DEI statement and North Star statements; and to expanding and building on the PUL Racial Equity Action Plan, which includes numerous initiatives for fostering a culture of inclusiveness for both Library staff and Library users.

”While the Library has made some progress towards making our culture, services, and collections inclusive,” said Jarvis, “we have much more to accomplish. With Dr. Abiola’s counsel, I am confident that we will be able to evolve into a place–both digitally and physically–that welcomes all and represents diverse voices.”

Abiola most recently served as the inaugural Executive Director for DEI at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she provided school-wide strategic vision, leadership, and direction for all DEI initiatives involving students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community at CBS. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) Graduate School of Education (GSE) and the Penn School of Arts and Sciences. Previously, she was the Senior Director for Academic Advising and Career Development at Parsons School of Design, The New School; and the Associate Director of Academic Affairs and Advising at The Wharton School, Penn.

“I am delighted to join the Princeton University community to strengthen and advance the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at Princeton University Library. I look forward to bringing my expertise and collaborative and transformational leadership style to create meaningful partnerships with my colleagues that will positively impact DEI at PUL,” said Abiola.

As an award-winning scholar-practitioner, Abiola is a strong, proven DEI thought leader.  She is the recipient of the prestigious 2022 Penn GSE Educator of the Year Award. Her dissertation, which explores colorism and Black Ivy League undergraduates, won a 2019 NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education: Melvene D. Hardee Dissertation of the Year Award, and won a 2018 Dissertation of the Year Award from the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education (AABHE). Abiola’s research interests involve DEI, skin tone bias/colorism, college student affairs, and increasing underrepresented students’ persistence and success at higher education institutions. She has published numerous scholarly works, presented at many national conferences, and received multiple institutional and national awards.

Abiola completed an Ed.D. in Higher Education at Penn, where she also earned an M.S.Ed. in Higher Education along with the Certificate in College and University Teaching; Graduate Certificate in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies; and the Graduate Certificate in Africana Studies. She also received an M.A. in Clinical Psychology with the Graduate Certificate in Clinical Child and Family Studies from Roosevelt University; and earned a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in African and African Diaspora Studies from Boston College.

Written by Office of Library Communications

Media contact: Barbara Valenza, Director of Library Communications