A candidate for the assistant dean of students and director of the Multicultural Center, Santos Nunez Galicia, said she wants to focus on evaluating Iowa State’s existing multicultural programs instead of immediately instituting new ones.

Galicia, program director of the Multicultural Resource Center at the University of Kansas, interviewed at a public forum in the Multicultural Center on Monday.

Galicia has been at the Multicultural Resource Center in Lawrence for eight years. She said she wants to bring her experience to Iowa State because it is a “logical progression” of her career.

She is an alumna of Iowa State and has fond memories as the director of upper Friley Hall, as well as enjoying events such as Veishea while she was here.

Her first plan is to do a “spot check” of which programs are working and to improve them.

“Iowa State has some great programs — how can we enhance those programs?,” Galicia said. “Look at the intellectual, physical and social development of the students.”

She said one benefit of having a strong Multicultural Center is having alumni who go through the program and who serve as a support system.

“Good alumni become good donors,” Galicia said. “Students will graduate and get good jobs — and help raise funds for Iowa State and recruit students to Iowa State.”

She told a story of how her students at University of Kansas cheered her on as she walked 5-kilometer route for a fundraiser a few weeks ago.

“I didn’t feel capable of doing this until I saw the support of all those wonderful students,” Galicia said.

She was on the last stretch of the race and was wearing down.

“At some point I was trying not to limp or anything,” Galicia said.

She said some students get to their breaking points when they are about to reach the end of their academic careers. She said they supported her in her fight to the end.

“Then I saw some of my students at the finish line,” Galicia said. “Some of them actually jogged back to where I was.”

Galicia finished the race strong.

“I started running,” Galicia said. “I found the strength to finish.”

She said she would like to be that support system for students.

“How can we be that support system for our students?” Galicia said. “We can cheer on the students until the very end and make sure they cross the finish line and get that degree.”