Meet Our Team
Stephanie Hawkes, Ed.D. (she, her, hers)Senior DirectorDr. Stephanie Hawkes serves as the Senior Director for the Office of Multicultural Student Engagement (OMSE) at Wayne State University. Prior to joining Wayne State, Dr. Hawkes worked with Eastern Michigan University's Upward Bound Program and the Purdue Promise scholarship program at Purdue University. She earned both her bachelor's degree in Language, Literature, and Writing for Secondary Education and master's degree in Higher Education Student Affairs from Eastern Michigan University. She completed her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Wayne State. In her free time, she enjoys sewing, gardening, crafting, and mentoring young women of color. Her vision for OMSE is to become the office that welcomes and supports all students throughout their collegiate journey and to be a benchmark institution for best practices and programming for diversity and inclusion offices.
Akelah Reese (she, her, hers)
Assistant Director, Multicultural Student Leadership EngagementAkelah Reese serves as the Assistant Director for Multicultural Student Leadership Engagement within OMSE. Akelah received her bachelor's degree in Social Work and a master's degree in Educational Leadership Higher Education Student Affairs both from Eastern Michigan University. She is currently working on her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at WSU. Akelah has experience in working with diverse student groups and assisting them to graduation. It is her goal to focus on underrepresented populations by providing them with the resources for successful academic and career outcomes. Some of her experiences include, serving as a AmeriCrop member with Big Brother Big Sisters of America, Washtenaw County Michigan Works, and in her previous roles at the university with the APEX Scholars program and Warrior 360. Akelah is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. where she serves as the chair for the scholarship committee in her chapter.In her free time, Akelah enjoys traveling, binging Netflix series, trying new restaurants, and spending time with her husband and daughter. Akelah hopes to continue her passion for supporting, advocating, and mentoring students, while managing the needs of the diverse student population at WSU.
Blair Baker (she, her, hers)
Student Engagement Program CoordinatorBlair Baker is the Student Engagement Program Coordinator in the Office of Multicultural Student Engagement at Wayne State. Blair received her bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Science with a focus on Community Governance and Advocacy from Michigan State University. She also recently earned her master's degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan. Blair has worked with various organizations with a strong commitment to social justice and equity. Some organizations include Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion, Detroit Public Schools Community District, and Concert of Colors. Blair remains an active member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and created her own social entrepreneurship business called Finesse Dining. In her free time, Blair enjoys collecting vinyl's, writing poetry, cooking, and hanging out with friends and family. Blair hopes to engage students in a way that centers their experience in a culturally relevant way and connect them with resources and safe spaces to achieve well-rounded success.
Jacqueline (Jacqui) Williams (she, her, hers)
Administrative AssistantJacqui Monique serves as the Administrative Assistant for the OMSE and Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI )offices. Concurrently, she is pursuing her degree in education with a strong focus on her passion for teaching children and advocating for parental and family support. She actively participates in Sister Friends of Detroit, a mentoring initiative for young and new mothers. As a proud mother herself, Jacqui initiated homeschooling for her two college-aged children at the age of three. In her leisure time, Jacqui indulges in various hobbies including reading historical romance novels, writing poetry, tending to her garden, engaging in ballroom dancing, sewing, and providing care for elderly family members and friends. Known for her perpetual smile, Jacqui is always ready to offer assistance to those in need. Jacqui's outlook on life is encapsulated in her favorite quote by Michelle Obama: "Am I good enough? Yes, I am!"