Cecilia Lucero

Cecilia Lucero is an Equity and Inclusion Educator at the University of Notre Dame with a focus on supporting underrepresented students.13 She is the director of the Balfour-Hesburgh Scholars Program (BHSP), which provides a close-knit learning community for high-achieving Notre Dame students from underrepresented populations.3

Background and Experience

• Lucero is a Notre Dame alumna, having graduated in 1984.3
• She began working with the Balfour-Hesburgh program as an academic advisor in 1995.3
• She served as director of the program from 2004 to 2008 and became co-director in 2014.3
• In 2020, Lucero became the full-time director of the Balfour-Hesburgh Scholars Program.3

Areas of Expertise

Lucero's work focuses on several key areas:

• Supporting students who are first-generation or from low-income backgrounds1
• Supporting undocumented/DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) students1
• Supporting students of color1
• Academic advising1
• Microaggressions, implicit bias, and cultural competence1

She is also a SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) facilitator and has expertise in storytelling and performance.1

Professional Involvement

Lucero is involved with NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising. She has contributed to NACADA's efforts in race, ethnicity, and inclusion work, being part of the Inclusive Excellence in Leadership Training Team (IELTT).2

Her work at Notre Dame and involvement with NACADA demonstrate her commitment to creating a more inclusive environment in higher education, driven by her personal experiences as an undergraduate student.3