Michael Benitez, Ph.D., Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion at Metropolitan State University of Denver, has served higher education in different capacities over the last two decades, including academic and student affairs; diversity, equity and inclusion; and teaching. He is a nationally acclaimed scholar practitioner in higher education and a highly sought speaker and workshop leader at universities, colleges and conferences nationwide.
His role includes providing leadership over the development, implementation and assessment of diversity strategic goals and planning, institutional efforts and programming aimed at cultivating and sustaining an equitable and inclusive campus climate, and ensuring that diversity, equity and inclusion are prominent components in the decision-making and organizational culture that drives inclusive excellence at MSU Denver.
Benitez has authored book chapters and articles on student identity, hip-hop culture, cultural centers, faculty development, cultural and ethnic studies and campus climate assessment and has been featured in several educational documentaries.
Prior to joining MSU Denver, Benitez served as Chief Diversity Officer/Dean for Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Puget Sound. Throughout his career Benitez has helped create, shape and lead innovate equity and inclusion-based strategies, programs and practices to address some of higher education’s more pressing campus-climate issues and challenges. Such initiatives include “Inclusive Teaching Conversations" and the NW5 cross-institutional consortium for supporting faculty of color.
Benitez completed his B.S. and M.Ed. at Pennsylvania State University, where he gained interest in pursuing doctoral studies as a McNair Scholar. He holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy from Iowa State University’s School of Education and has been recognized with several leadership and scholarly awards throughout his career.
