In general, the higher education landscape skews female, and Indiana University Northwest is no exception. More than two-thirds of students are women, as are 60 percent of faculty and staff. Combine this with our distinction as the most diverse campus in the IU system, and it’s no wonder IU Northwest has so many amazing women of different backgrounds.

Each woman has her own story to tell and embodies the traits of a RedHawk—dedicated, empowering, innovative, smart, and compassionate. While we could talk about any one of the hundreds of outstanding women at IU Northwest, we welcome you to learn a little more about five of them.

Sharese Dudley, Director of Career Services

Sharese Dudley is no stranger to risk taking. When she left her full-time job to start a part-time position as an internship coordinator, she couldn’t have known how well it would work out.

Today, Dudley uses her years of experience to help students find their career path. “We’re not going to tell them what they’re going to be, but we want to provide the professional development tools, resources, and connections to help them get there,” she said.

Dudley has also dedicated herself to helping students make themselves more marketable. Under her direction, the Office of Career Services is making big pushes to encourage students to take advantage of internships.

Seeing students achieve their goals and succeed is a significant motivator for Dudley. “Witnessing a student’s excitement as they transition from student to professional is a reward in itself.”

By helping students choose tangible career goals and staying focused, Dudley gives them the knowledge and confidence they need to go on to bigger and better things.

Ishika Prakash, IU Northwest student

Ishika Prakash is passionate about being a leader among her fellow students. She’s carved out a spot for herself on campus as secretary of the Student Government Association and president of the Student Alumni Association.

Through her leadership positions, the Class of 2022 biology major has the unique opportunity to help other students succeed. “Student government allows me to interact with brilliant individuals in order to promote the best interests of our peers,” she said.

Prakash also aims to empower other university students. She wants her peers to know that failure, while inevitable, doesn’t always have to be negative. Sometimes, failure can help one create a better version of themselves.

“I believe that anything is possible,” she said. “Know that you are your biggest driving force, and it is your resilience and internal desire that will take you anywhere.”

Prakash says that narrow-mindedness can only get you so far. Her success as a student leader at IU Northwest is strong evidence that opening yourself up to new experiences can take you to new heights.

Vicki Román-Lagunas, Ph.D., Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Vicki Román-Lagunas has no shortage of experience in academia. She’s held nearly every job in higher education, from adjunct to administrator. While it would be easy to let all this industry experience go to her head, wielding power isn’t on Román-Lagunas’ list of priorities.

“If my values were power and authority, I’m not in the right job,” she said. “My bottom-line value is serving students and finding new and better ways to help them.”

While Román-Lagunas is dedicated to making an impact on students, most of her daily work is with faculty. She emphasizes the importance of respecting one another’s work, helping faculty discover their strengths, and staying focused.

“If I try to walk in someone else’s pathway, I’m disrupting their pathway and not helping my own,” she said. “Stay focused—staying in our lanes is really important.”

At the end of the day, Román-Lagunas’ tireless work and commitment to creating a respectful environment has been paramount to faculty and student success.

Veronica Williams, Director of Academic Advising

Veronica Williams believes in the power of stories, and how inspiring stories can lead to success for college students. However, that story is rarely linear.

During Williams’ tenure as director of Academic Advising, she has remained dedicated to helping students find their path, even if it’s by accident.

“Don’t stifle yourself. Be open to new possibilities,” she said. “People have tunnel vision sometimes. That’s not how life works—you have to be able to roll with the punches.”

When the punches come, Williams strives to be the much-needed support for students. If one thing’s for certain, it’s that she loves her students and wants to empower them to “speak their truth.”

Williams puts passion and heart into everything she does, whether it’s advising students or coaching new advisers. “Most times, I would rather just be in the background and letting them shine,” she said.

Latrice Booker, Dean of Library Services

Latrice Booker has experienced more than her fair share of hardships in her career. “I have definitely experienced microaggressions,” she said. “Being a woman of color in leadership can be exhausting because it’s so constant.”

While Booker stresses she hasn’t experienced those microaggressions at IU Northwest, she has still dedicated herself to promoting change. She has begun doing work on racial and social justice, all while continuing to empower students.

“I hope to empower people to know that they can also make that [social] change and decide what is best for them,” Booker said.

She is glad to share her story in an effort to impact and inspire the students she works with. Booker said she not only struggled academically, but also had difficulty building confidence in her own abilities.

But those struggles have only motivated her to make the John W. Anderson Library Conference Center a comforting, safe space for students. “I am for honoring everyone’s true journey,” Booker said. “I want [the library] to be that place where students come in and be who they are."