Diana Q Palardy, Ph.D. Email & Phone Number

Need to build a program from the ground up? Aren’t sure where to start or don’t have the time to do it? Interested in reaching out to the Hispanic community? I have created 4 programs, some entirely from scratch and others from a moribund state. For AmeriCorp’s Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), I increased volunteers from 8 to 50 in six months and I grew the Women’s Studies program at Youngstown State University from 0 to 20 minors in one academic year. I also created a Service Learning in Spanish program and a Spanish language oral history program, both of which involved Hispanic outreach. A priority of mine for each of my programs was to directly involve the population most impacted by the program. You cannot create a program for others without them having a seat at the table. As the saying goes “Nothing about me without me!” I have approached all my program development and projects with this idea in mind.I'm particularly proud of how I engaged with students and faculty in redesigning and growing the Women's Studies program at YSU. When I first stepped into the position of Director, I was surprised to find that there were no Women’s Studies minors. From conversations with numerous students, faculty members, and former program directors, I determined that there was a lot of interest in the program, despite there being no minors. After careful examination of the curriculum, I realized that several of the classes were not being offered regularly because of faculty turnover, and one of the classes was no longer even being offered! I had to revise the curriculum by eliminating certain courses, developing new ones, and identifying and adding ones that were relevant and offered frequently. This was particularly challenging because the Curriculum Committee only gathered once a semester and I had to confer individually with approximately 20 professors whose classes would be impacted by curricular changes. Based on feedback from student surveys and one-on-one conversations with students and faculty, I implemented a plan for revising the curriculum, actively promoting the program, and recruiting minors. It was wonderful to see growth in the program and rewarding to be recognized by the university as a Distinguished Professor of Service for my contributions.While I am a Jane-of-all-trades and can do all sorts of work, right now my focus is on freelance work in program development and Hispanic outreach, as well as Spanish-English translation and tutoring. I would love to connect with you!