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Araceli Cruz ’09 has returned to ß÷ßäÉçÇø to help shape the student experience she once knew firsthand and create opportunities for other Latinas.

Araceli became associate dean of student engagement and inclusion in September 2026, following her return to Linfield as interim assistant dean in February. She oversees the Offices of Community and Belonging, Residence Life and Housing, Student Activities, Fraternity and Sorority Life, the Chaplain’s Office and Service Leadership, as well as the First Scholars Program. Her work focuses on strengthening student belonging, engagement and success.

"When I was a student, there were no affinity groups and very little support specifically for first-generation students," she said. "As a first-generation, formerly undocumented Latina, I rarely saw myself reflected in the university community outside of the Spanish program."

Araceli comes from a family of farmworkers. At the time, a year of tuition at Linfield cost more than her family earned annually working in the fields.

"Yet when my family and I visited campus, we were welcomed with such warmth, care and genuine support that I felt I belonged," she said. "Being accepted to Linfield was life changing. It opened doors that I never knew existed and gave me opportunities to see the world through a completely different lens."

Finding her path

When she first arrived at Linfield, she declared majors in biology and chemistry, believing that becoming a doctor would mean success.

But one relationship changed her course.

"Everything changed when Professor Jeff Peterson casually invited me into one of his sociology classes. I was immediately hooked," she said. "Alongside the Spanish program, sociology gave me a framework to understand and articulate many of the experiences I was having as a first-generation Latina student navigating higher education."

Araceli majored in Spanish and sociology.

The change in direction transformed her academic experience. Her GPA rose from below 2.0 to nearly straight A’s, and she discovered a love of learning and confidence in pursuing her own interests.

The relationships she built at Linfield with faculty, staff and fellow students did not end when she crossed the graduation stage.

"Even as a first-generation professional, I continued to find support and mentorship through the Linfield community," she said.

While working with Adelante Mujeres, a nonprofit serving marginalized immigrant Latine women in Oregon, Araceli partnered with Linfield to bring third-grade Latina girls to campus.

"Once again, I saw the same spirit that had welcomed me as a student. Faculty and staff eagerly helped create an inspiring experience for those young students," she said.

Turning experience into purpose

Her experiences as a student and later as a Linfield employee helped prepare her for a career in student affairs. Having navigated higher education as a first-generation student, she understood both the challenges students can face and the difference that support and mentorship can make.

"I also experienced the transformative power of mentorship, belonging and educational opportunities. Those experiences shaped not only who I became, but also the work I felt called to do," she said.

After graduating, she returned to Linfield as a first-generation professional. She learned that her lived experience was an asset rather than a limitation and pursued a career in student affairs.

"Through my experiences as both a student and staff member, I saw the need for greater representation in higher education," she said. "I witnessed changing student demographics and the ongoing challenges of affordability and access. I also saw how powerful it can be when students encounter faculty, staff and mentors who understand their experiences and help them navigate systems that were not designed with them in mind."

Those realities inspired Araceli to continue her education and earn a master’s degree in student affairs administration, with a focus on social justice and equity, from Lewis & Clark College.

"Latinas remain underrepresented among graduate degree holders and in higher education leadership, which strengthened my commitment to expanding access and opportunity for future generations,” she said. “It also solidified my commitment to creating environments where students feel seen, valued and supported."

For Araceli, the impact of education reaches beyond the individual.

"Linfield did not just change my life. It changed the trajectory of my family,” she said.

As the oldest sibling, she watched both of her younger sisters graduate from private universities. Today, her niece and nephew see higher education not as an impossible dream but as a natural next step in their futures.

That generational impact reinforces her commitment to helping other students find opportunity through education.

"That is why I have dedicated my career to higher education. I know firsthand that education can be a pathway to opportunity, social mobility and transformation,” she said. “The people who invested in me changed the course of my life, and I feel a responsibility to pay that forward. Every day, I strive to create the same sense of possibility, belonging and support that others created for me when I arrived at Linfield."

Becoming an equity-minded leader

Several professors and experiences at Linfield played a significant role in shaping Araceli as an equity-minded leader. Sonia Ticas and Violeta Ramsay were the first professional Latina role models she encountered.

"They took me under their wings and helped me better understand my culture, embrace my identity and feel proud of who I was. Their mentorship was transformational,” she said. “They encouraged me to study abroad in Ecuador and Spain, experiences that deepened my understanding of myself and strengthened my connection to my culture."

Michele Tomseth, director of the International Programs Office, also helped make those study abroad opportunities possible. Together, these mentors helped Araceli understand the importance of cultural identity and the role relationships can play in helping students navigate higher education.

Araceli was also a resident assistant, and there were moments when she questioned whether she belonged at Linfield.

"During those times, the Residence Life staff made sure I had the support I needed and helped me build meaningful community. They taught me the importance of fostering belonging and creating environments where students can thrive," she said.

It is that support that she hopes to give students today.

"Looking back, it was not one club, class or experience that shaped me,” she said. "It was a network of mentors, educators and peers who invested in me, challenged me and helped me see my own potential. Their belief in me inspired my commitment to ensuring that today's students, especially those from historically underrepresented communities, have the same opportunity to discover who they are, find where they belong and realize what they can become."