Erica Acosta was born and raised in a Latino family in Brooklyn, New York, and she now lives with her husband and daughters in Forty Fort, Pennsylvania. She’s had an office at Wilkes University, where she currently serves as director of diversity initiatives, for 13 years. Whether she’s at home, at work or out shopping on a rare free afternoon, Acosta is always thinking about a way to help others. “If I want my community to thrive, I need to be a part of it, bring solutions to the table and serve my community. “
She serves the Wilkes community through the Office of Diversity Initiatives, which provides a support system for students from underrepresented groups. The goal is to help students navigate the college experience and adjust to college life in Wilkes-Barre, guiding them from orientation through graduation.
And when students tell Acosta about their struggles, she works to find a solution. Adulting 101, a series of life-skills workshops sponsored by ODI, was the result of conversations with students. “I heard a lot of students say things like, ‘We don’t know how to look for a car. What’s a good credit card?’ These are things they’ll need once they leave us. That’s how Adulting 101 came about.” Workshops cover a range of topics including credit bureau advice and social media etiquette, as well as resume building and job search tips courtesy of the Career Center. “You see, now I’m collaborating,” says Acosta.
Conversation and collaboration are two popular words in Acosta’s vocabulary. ODI recently connected with the Sordoni Art Gallery and the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, plus Acosta regularly works with faculty and staff on diversity initiatives. And following a conversation with Shanelly Hinds, a first-year student from St. Kitt’s, on why her home country wasn’t represented among the flags hanging in the Henry Student Center, Acosta ordered one and put in a work order to hang it among the others. Now, ODI and the Office of Global Engagement will hold a joint celebration at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 29, adding five new flags to the display.
The flags that surround the main concourse in the Henry Student Center started as a way to show the global diversity of students, faculty, staff and trustees at Wilkes. For Acosta, it’s a visible way to encourage everyone on campus to feel at home. “It reminds me of how much we need to engage with our community, make them feel safe, like they belong here and make our community feel like one,” says Acosta.
This semester, ODI will also join the Black Student Union for a Pan-African flag raising, an idea proposed by BSU student leadership. The event will feature remarks from students, faculty, administrators and guests. Scheduled for 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 4, at the Eugene S. Farley Library, the Pan-African flag raising will kick off a series of events for Black History Month.
Throughout the year, ODI hosts guest speakers and provides campus programming including an annual leadership conference, a Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance, a welcome social, a Juneteenth celebration, global coffee hours and the Diversity Awards (formerly the Multicultural Awards), just to name a few.
For students who want to take a deeper dive, ODI offers D.I.V.E. certification at bronze, silver, gold and platinum levels. D.I.V.E., which stands for difference, inclusion, value each other, gives students a way to highlight their commitment to enhancing multiculturalism and inclusion on campus and in the community. To earn the certification, students need to complete a combination of coursework, participation in ODI programs and community service through the Office of Civic Engagement. They can also participate in a study abroad or alternative spring break opportunity. Ultimately, Acosta would like to see the certification represented as a LinkedIn badge. “It would be amazing to get it that far,” she says. “That would be a dream of the program.”
Acosta also devotes her time to a variety of area organizations. She’s the vice chair of the DEI council for the Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce and the secretary of the board for Maternal and Family Health Services. She’s a member of WVIA’s Latino Council and serves on the board of directors for Dress for Success, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Diversity Education Consortium and the Greater Wyoming Valley YMCA.
“This is who I am on- and off-campus,” says Acosta. “I come from a Catholic household where we were taught at a young age to serve and volunteer in our community.”
“On campus, Acosta works tirelessly to share her diversity, equity and inclusion experience with students, faculty and staff. Her door is always open to offer support or have a meeting about a new initiative,” says LaFleur Small, associate provost for academic and diversity affairs. “Acosta has a passion for bettering the lives of our students and shares her commitment to service with the community. Wherever Acosta is, she leads with passion and inspires others to do the same.”
Whether she’s at an on-campus event or out and about in northeastern Pennsylvania, Acosta invites students to join her so she can provide networking opportunities for the next generation of leaders. “The best part of my job is being able to be a mentor for our students,” says Acosta. “I truly enjoy being their cheerleader and assisting them in their journey here at Wilkes. I love seeing their growth.”
Acosta pushes herself to grow, too. Though she has a fear of public speaking, she stood in front of the crowd to present at the 2024 DEI Forum with the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce and the EMPOWER Women’s Leadership Conference. Next up, she’ll present on the D.I.V.E. program at the Student Affairs Conference at New York University. “I step outside of my comfort zone and I hope other people can see themselves in me,” Acosta says.
A graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo, member of Omega Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and oldest granddaughter on both sides of her family, Acosta knows how to get things done. She leads by example, hoping to inspire others to come to the table to serve the campus and surrounding community. “My mission is to connect with the community so we can thrive at the same time,” she says. “It’s also important so I can have a seat at the table and bring students with me.”
