Black Sociologist to Head New Multicultural Center at Johns Hopkins

Johns Hopkins University has announced that it will establish for the first time a multicultural center on campus. The center will be housed temporarily in office space in the Homewood Apartments building. But the center will have a permanent home in 2010 when it will move into Gilman Hall, which is currently used as offices for the department of the history of science and technology. The university is currently attempting to raise $3 million to support the multicultural center.

The new center will be under the direction of Katrina Bell McDonald, an associate professor of sociology at Johns Hopkins. In connection with her new duties, Dr. McDonald has assumed the title of associate dean for multicultural affairs.

Professor McDonald has been on the university’s faculty since 1994. She was only the second African-American female to be awarded tenure in the School of Arts and Sciences. Dr. McDonald is a graduate of Mills College. She holds a master’s degree in applied communication research from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California at Davis. She is the author of the 2006 book Embracing Sisterhood: Class, Identity, and Contemporary Black Women.

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