About Us
Meet Vice President Amoaba Gooden
Amoaba Gooden, Ph.D., is the Vice President for the Division of People, Culture and Belonging. She previously served as Vice President of the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the chairperson of the Department of Pan-African Studies at Kent State University.
Overall, Gooden’s academic and professional work continues to highlight the narratives and cultural structures of people of African descent and aims to broaden this platform. She is a catalyst for equitable change for disenfranchised people nationally and internationally. Her professional pursuits in the U.S. and Canada have given her a unique perspective and approach to mobilizing social justice. Gooden aims to continue ongoing learning and curate student success while eventually becoming a full professor at Kent State University.
Research Interests: health promotion, gender & identity, sexuality, Pan-African Studies, Caribbean Canadians, Caribbean.
University Values:
- A diverse student body, faculty, staff and administration
- A student-centered university that acknowledges student success as a top priority
- The pursuit of knowledge through diverse traditions and inclusive efforts
- Accountability and action towards the success and management of diversity
- A welcoming environment that encourages diversity of thought, continuous personal growth and academic attainment for all members of the Kent State University family
- Engagement and collaboration across difference
- A focus on inclusive excellence in everything that we do