The Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL) is further reinforcing its commitment to progress for all with an expanded leadership. Professor Ruby Mendenhall, a leading scholar of the University of Illinois and a CCIL JumpStart awardee, has been named Associate Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
Mendenhall will work with CCIL stakeholders to develop DEI initiatives, work on CCIL recruitment efforts, and develop relationships with organizations and campus units that support the exploration of diversity issues. She has extensive experience in this area and currently serves as Associate Dean for Diversity and Democratization of Health Innovation at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine. She has also represented the CCIL on important university-level committees, including the OVCRI’s Diversity Committee and the provost’s Health Equity Initiative.
Ruby Mendenhall, CCIL Associate Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
“I am very excited to serve as the Associate Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Under Director Rohit Bhargava’s leadership, the CCIL is on the cutting edge of knowledge and technologies to help people live cancer-free lives. This is especially important for those on the margins of society due to race, class, and other identities,” said Mendenhall.
Mendenhall, Kathryn Lee Baynes Dallenbach Professor in Liberal Arts and Sciences, joined the CCIL in 2022 through the institute’s inaugural JumpStart cohort. The program provides support to established investigators to collaborate with other CCIL members on projects that accelerate progress against cancer. Mendenhall’s JumpStart project focused on the impact of the cancer experience on Black women.
“Professor Mendenhall is one of our most distinguished faculty on campus and has a deep commitment to scholarship that seeks to understand major issues and improves the lives of a diverse group of people, including African American women. Her recent cancer research and engagement with the CCIL brings a new dimension to our efforts,” said CCIL Director Rohit Bhargava. “We are delighted that she has accepted this role and I look forward to working with her to bring the benefits of CCIL research and education to all persons, especially those currently underserved.”
The CCIL has a longstanding commitment to enhancing diversity, striving for equity and building an inclusive culture since its inception. It was one of the first centers in the nation to appoint a Chief Diversity Officer and has championed the use of engineering and technology in addressing disparities. CCIL’s educational programs have a tradition of participation by a diverse group, having maintained gender parity and high inclusion of underrepresented students at all levels. It has pioneered programs for faculty, such as the Faculty Leadership Development Program, that diversify the university’s scientific leadership. The position of the Associate Director for DEI has been created to further elevate these efforts and provide a greater emphasis to inclusion in both cancer research and education.