November 22, 2024
SIU chooses new Black Resource Center coordinator
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Dina Timmons, a double alumna of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, is the new coordinator for the Black Resource Center, a unit of the Student Multicultural Resource Center (SMRC).
“I’m excited to be a resource and work with students through the SMRC,” Timmons said. “I believe that to retain and recruit students you have to have representation. That is what this position calls for, and I’m here for all of it. As program coordinator for the Black Resource Center, I intend to focus on a number of things.”
Timmons assumed her new role Oct. 16. She said she plans to:
- Bridge gaps between Black and brown students and Black staff and faculty as well as the Southern Illinois community.
- Foster a sense of belonging among the students she works with.
- Build pipelines for students to connect to Black alumni.
- Actively advocate for students.
“Dina has worked in multiple departments across campus, helping students connect to valuable resources that lead to Saluki success,” said Renada Greer, executive director of the SMRC and TRiO Student Support Services. “We look forward to her bringing that experience to the SMRC. She also possesses a wide network of faculty, staff, alumni and community members, which she plans to utilize to connect our students to opportunities in college and beyond.”
Longstanding SIU connection
A native of Chicago’s west suburbs, Timmons has lived in Southern Illinois since 1993 and earned her bachelor’s degree in liberal arts and her master’s in public health at SIU. While still a student, she served as a mentor for the Career Preparation Program and worked at the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute. In addition, she held graduate assistantships with Paul Simon Institute and TRiO.
After graduating, she was a field representative for Sen. Roland Burris’ downstate office before returning to SIU as a program coordinator for the Master of Public Administration program in the College of Business and Analytics. In 2021, she became the program coordinator for the college’s graduate programs office.
The mother of sons Jace and Jelani, Timmons has also been active on campus and in the community. A former Civil Service Council member, she also serves as a trustee for the Village of Colp.