Office for Access & Community Engagement (ACE)

Be Connected. Be Collaborative. Be Together. Be ��«��Ƶ.

The College of Arts and Sciences strives to create a campus environment that engages and empowers students, faculty and staff, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religion or spirituality, physical or emotional ability, national origin or other important aspects of identity.

We are committed to promoting cross-cultural awareness and competency. Our goal is to support a wide range of programs and initiatives that explore both the shared and unique experiences, histories and heritages of our community.

This is achieved through educational programming, community engagement, advocacy for social change, and by providing resources and support to all students, faculty and staff.

If you have any ideas or if you are interested in supporting our efforts by getting involved, please contact Patricia Gonzalez at patricia.gonzalez@colorado.edu.

Our values

Celebrating inclusion

Our college's first strategic imperative is creating a culture that welcomes all. Learn more on our strategic plan website or contact our assistant dean for access & community engagement.

Embracing diversity

Our campus champions inclusive excellence; we value our common experiences and celebrate our differences. Learn more at the .

Upholding respect

Report an incedent. Don't ignore harassment, discriminatory actions, unwanted sexual behavior, abusive relationships or stalking. Reporting tools and resources to help are available at the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance.

Patricia Gonzalez Ed.D., serves as the Assistant Dean for Access and Community Engagement in the College of Arts and Sciences at the ��«��Ƶ. With 16 years of experience working in education, Dr. Gonzalez plays a key role on the dean's leadership team, where she designs and implements strategies focused on persistence, development, retention and fostering an inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Her work is grounded in culturally relevant pedagogies and practices that promote a sense of belonging and success across the academic community.

Dr. Gonzalez has held leadership roles at institutions such as Cornell University, Emory & Henry College, New York Institute of Technology, and Franklin & Marshall College, as well as in K-12 education, where she worked to support and advance student success.

A proud native of South Central Los Angeles and a first-generation college graduate, Gonzalez earned her Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California, an MA in Higher Education from Columbia University, and a B.A. in Government and Philosophy from Franklin & Marshall College.

As a mother and advocate for social and systemic change, Gonzalez is passionate about fostering access, belonging, empowerment, and engagement within organizations and the broader community.

Marysia Lopez is the College of Arts and Sciences’ program manager for access & community engagement. Lopez works in collaboration with Assistant Dean Gonzalez to develop and implement initiatives and programs that result in an effective, welcoming and equitable environment for student, staff and faculty success.

Lopez holds an MA in Art History from Christie’s Education and a BA in Cultural Studies and Journalism from the University of South Florida. She began her professional career in the non-profit sector and has been working in higher education since 2015. A first-generation college graduate, she is committed to creating an environment at CU ��«��Ƶ that makes every student, staff and faculty member feel respected and included.

Zaidee Bennett is the College of Arts and Sciences’ Student Program Coordinator for Access & Community Engagement. They are a current senior majoring in sociology and minoring in communication, and they are specifically interested in studying the intersection of social identities (gender, race, etc.) and discourse/language. When Zaidee isn’t working, they’re currently working on writing an honors thesis about the CU community's opinions toward gender-neutral restrooms, which they will be defending in the spring. Zaidee was born and raised in Colorado, and is loving CU since transferring from UVM freshman year. In their free time, they enjoy writing, reading, playing video games and analyzing films (ask them about the film club they run!). Zaidee is committed to implementing their research and studies into their work, striving to create a more inviting environment for students staff, and faculty at CU and celebrating every community member.