Stephanie Hawkes, Ed.D. (she, her, hers)
Senior Director
Dr. Stephanie Hawkes serves as the Senior Director for the Office of Multicultural Student Engagement (OMSE) at Wayne State University. With a commitment to fostering inclusive environments, she leads the long-term strategic planning and positioning of the office in alignment with the broader university's strategic plan. Dr. Hawkes brings experience in pre-college and access programming, student success, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. In her role, Dr. Hawkes coordinates a multitude of initiatives aimed at promoting student success and sense of belonging, particularly for students from historically-excluded backgrounds. Her responsibilities span from student engagement and outreach to awareness initiatives, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to thrive. 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 Engagement
Akelah 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 Coordinator
Blair 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.
Bayan Founas (she, her, hers) Student Engagement Program Coordinator
Bayan Founas serves as the Student Engagement Program Coordinator in the Office of Multicultural Student Engagement at Wayne State University. Bayan is a Michigan native with Algerian roots who enjoys traveling around the world, collecting books, and being physically active. She earned her bachelor's degree in Women's Studies and master's degree in Educational Leadership & Policy with K-12 Administration certification from the University of Michigan. Bayan spent 10 years in Detroit teaching high school English and creating programs and events in schools, where she was passionate about using restorative justice practices and culturally responsive methods to build a culture of equity, belonging, and joy. Bayan co-founded a restorative healing and peer mentoring community center on Marygrove's P-20 Educational campus called the
REACH Center. Simultaneously, she partnered and worked alongside several nonprofits and community programs in the city, including City Year, Teach For America, InsideOut Literary Arts, Shakespeare in Detroit, Wolverine Pathways, Greening of Detroit, and Vista Maria. Bayan explores her experience creatively through poetry, writing on topics of womanhood, belonging, home, and diaspora. Most recently, she edited the 2024 Detroit Metro Times
Fiction Issue on the theme of "Resistance Across Borders." She is excited to bring her expertise of working with diverse populations to Wayne State's OMSE Office, particularly celebrating, collaborating, and championing for and with Middle Eastern and North African students on campus.
Jacqueline (Jacqui) Williams (she, her, hers)Administrative Assistant
Jacqui 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!"
