October 2021 – The Boston University School of Theology (STH) is pleased to announce the appointment of new Associate Dean for Students and Community Life Cristian De La Rosa. Dean De La Rosa took the helm of the Office of Students and Community Life prior to the beginning of the 2021-22 academic year in September, and has enjoyed supporting students and directing new initiatives in that office over the past several weeks. A member of the STH faculty for the past ten years, Dean De La Rosa previously worked closely with students while she served as Co-Director of the Office of Contextual Education. In that role, she supported the contextual education program of the School of Theology, with a focus on community partnerships and placements.
“Dr. De La Rosa has been exemplary in finding creative solutions, cultivating networks, and fostering fruitful collaboration within the School of Theology and with external partners and communities,” says Dean Sujin Pak. “She is a gifted administrator committed to fostering beloved community that honors and celebrates differences while actively seeking intersections of shared advocacy and mutual well-being. I am honored and thrilled to have her join Dean Stone and me in leading this extraordinary school.”
Dean De La Rosa is the first dean of Latinx heritage at the School of Theology, which also boasts one of the largest Latinx faculties among theological schools in the United States.
The new role has been an exciting change for Dean De La Rosa. “I look forward to my new role in the STH community,” she says. “It is my hope that I can accompany our students in meaningful and relevant ways during these complex and uncertain times of a global pandemic.”