Kijua Sanders-McMurtry

she/her/they/them

  • Vice President for Equity and Inclusion
  • Posse Scholars Liaison
Kijua Sanders-McMurtry

Originally from Pasadena, California, Sanders-McMurtry was inspired to become a full-time diversity educator after the deaths of Matthew Shepard and Sakia Gunn. Both individuals were targeted and killed because of their gender and sexual identities.

A nationally recognized advocate for diversity and inclusion, Sanders-McMurtry has been quoted in publications including the Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Education and Insight into Diversity magazine. Her research has been published in the Journal of Higher Education and she has presented nationally at a wide range of conferences and institutions.

She has held numerous leadership positions, including serving as the co-chair for trans inclusion with the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, and was named a Diamond Honoree with the American College Personnel Association. She previously worked at Georgia State University and ORC Macro, a public-health research firm.

Sanders-McMurtry holds a doctorate in educational policy studies, a graduate certificate in women’s studies, as well as master’s and bachelor’s degrees in sociology from Georgia State University. A high school dropout, she credits her non-traditional academic journey to her mentors at Pasadena City College, where she completed an associate’s degree in social sciences.

Happening at Mount Holyoke

Recent campus news

For the fifth consecutive year, °µÍø½ûÇø has received the 2024 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from Insight Into Diversity.

Three prominent Black feminist scholars came together at Mount Holyoke in April to discuss gender-based violence, sexual violence and racial violence. The forum took place during the twenty-second annual national Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

°µÍø½ûÇø held its seventh annual Building On Our Momentum (BOOM!) day-long learning conference with more than 45 sessions that included both in-person and recorded content.