González to lead student advocacy, disability services for College of Medicine
Penn State College of Medicine continues to strengthen its commitment to improving equity and inclusion on campus. To help achieve its goals related to the strategic plan, Beatrice González joined the Office for Diversity, Equity and Belonging as a student advocacy specialist on Sept. 26. Working closely with Dr. Inginia Genao, the vice dean of diversity, equity and belonging, she will lead student advocacy and engagement initiatives across all educational programs within the College of Medicine.
González’s focus will be working with students with disabilities and individuals underrepresented in the field of medicine. She will serve as the point person for disability services and will promote universal design to ensure accessibility for all students. She will assist individuals in securing appropriate accommodations for classrooms and laboratories, as well as in examination and clinical settings. Through this work, González will collaborate with various groups and departments, including the Disability Affinity Resource Networking Group and colleagues at Penn State’s University Park campus to ensure consistent delivery of disability services across campuses.
“I feel like everything that I have worked towards over the past several years has prepared me to be here at Penn State College of Medicine, as an advocate to those who experience obstacles on their path to greatness,” said González. “I do this through a lens that bends towards equity.”
As the student advocacy specialist, González will have the opportunity to share her expertise and help advance Penn State’s commitment to providing a respectful, inclusive learning environment.
In this new role, she will provide consultation to the Committee for Undergraduate Medical Education to ensure student policies are consistent with expectations set forth by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education and the Association of American Medical Colleges. In addition, she will offer guidance to the internal Academic Progress Committee and Competency Progress Committee related to individual cases.
“I am thrilled to have recruited Beatrice to lead the student advocacy efforts and other opportunities to foster an environment of equity, inclusion and belonging for all our students, faculty and staff,” said Dr. Genao. “Beatrice has the experience, resilience and inner drive to carry out this work to new fronts.”
Before joining Penn State, González began her career in health care and launched multiple diversity-focused initiatives for graduate students and medical professionals. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from University at Buffalo and her master’s degree from Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo.
“I will be working to cultivate a supportive and inclusive environment where all of our students, faculty and staff are seen, heard and feel they belong,” said González.
How to submit concerns or requests
To help ensure that all voices are heard and inquiries are handled in a timely manner, the Office for Diversity, Equity and Belonging has implemented an online form for students to submit questions and requests. Students can access the form by logging in with their Penn State credentials. In addition, González can be reached via email at bgonzalez4@pennstatehealth.psu.edu, by phone at 717-531-4428, or in-person at her office located within the Office for Diversity, Equity and Belonging adjacent to the University Fitness Center.
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