JOSÉ G. ESPERICUETA
Chicago
Summary
Senior educational leader with extensive experience advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging through institutional strategy, policy development, and community-centered practice. Proven record leading faculty, designing and assessing programs, facilitating difficult dialogues, and partnering with students, families, and administrators to create inclusive and supportive learning environments. Relational, reflective, and data-informed practitioner with deep experience supporting historically marginalized students and guiding communities toward shared responsibility and accountability.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Upper School Spanish Teacher
North Shore Country Day School
Winnetka, IL
01.2024 - Current
- Teach Spanish Levels 1–5 using proficiency-based instruction aligned with national standards, centering immigrant, transnational, and historically marginalized voices as primary source material.
- Design curriculum that supports critical inquiry around identity, language, power, and belonging, and that intersects with DEI-related work across disciplines.
- Co-lead and mentor the Commons Ambassadors program, guiding students in the design and facilitation of peer-led lessons on diversity, equity, inclusion, and community engagement.
- Support student leaders as they plan classroom visits, facilitate dialogue, and reflect on the impact and effectiveness of their sessions through structured post-visit mentoring.
- Mentor Latino students and students from immigrant families, partnering with caregivers to identify academic, social, and community-based needs.
- Collaborate with colleagues and administrators to align classroom practice with broader inclusion and belonging initiatives across the school.
Student Success, Equity, and Belonging Leadership
University of Dallas
Irving, TX
08.2012 - 06.2024
- Led multi-year curriculum and student-support initiatives advancing access and retention and producing institutional evidence essential to the university’s Hispanic-Serving Institution designation in 2023.
- Advised and mentored student organizations focused on racial justice, immigrant advocacy, and social inclusion, resulting in expanded campus programming, higher event visibility, and sustained cross-constituency collaboration.
- Led and supported educational initiatives addressing racial climate, xenophobia, and student mental health, grounded in campus-wide assessment data and resulting in increased institutional awareness and board-level engagement.
- Provided sustained mentorship to students of color, first-generation, immigrant, international, and LGBTQIA+ students navigating bias and marginalization.
- Trained member of Title IX and Civil Rights Pool, adjudicating cases involving discrimination, harassment, and misconduct.
Co-Director and Faculty, College Citizens
University of Dallas
Irving, TX
01.2022 - 01.2024
- Co-authored and secured a $300,000 grant supporting program for first-generation and underrepresented high school students.
- Designed and co-taught curricula centered on citizenship, identity, migration, and belonging, foregrounding historically marginalized voices.
- Led discussions and writing instruction centered on identity, migration, citizenship, and global perspectives.
- Supported students’ academic confidence, sense of belonging, and transition to higher education.
- Supervised instructional staff and assessed program outcomes, including student persistence, college applications, and matriculation.
- Built recruitment partnerships with regional high schools, contributing to an increasingly diverse applicant pool.
President
University Chapter of the AAUP (American Association of University Professors)
01.2022 - 01.2024
- Partnered with faculty and senior administrators to examine and improve institutional hiring practices, workload equity, and promotion standards, explicitly framing these efforts as diversity, equity, and inclusion issues.
- Advocated for transparent, bias-aware search and evaluation processes to support the recruitment and retention of faculty from historically underrepresented backgrounds.
- Researched and presented best practices related to shared governance, accountability, and inclusive institutional decision-making.
- Led strategic initiatives to enhance faculty engagement and collaboration within academic governance.
Chair, Modern Languages Department
University of Dallas
Irving, TX
01.2021 - 01.2024
- Led curriculum planning, assessment, and departmental strategy with an explicit focus on equity, access, and inclusive pedagogical practices.
- Supervised and evaluated 11 full-time faculty and departmental staff, supporting professional growth, retention, and transparent evaluation processes.
- Served on multiple faculty and staff hiring committees; partnered with senior administration to revise hiring procedures with attention to bias mitigation, equitable evaluation criteria, and inclusive search practices.
- Facilitated complex, values-driven conversations among faculty, staff, and senior leadership, navigating institutional tensions with care, clarity, and emotional intelligence.
- Developed and implemented equitable processes for course offerings, funding allocation, and faculty advancement, increasing transparency and accountability.
- Led strategic initiatives to enhance academic programs and faculty development.
- Oversaw budget management, ensuring resource allocation aligned with institutional goals.
Faculty Senator
University of Dallas
01.2021 - 01.2024
- Co-created and led a campus-wide student mental health survey, resulting in new communication protocols and cross-departmental initiatives.
- Initiated and successfully advocated for a university-wide climate survey on racial tension and xenophobia, presenting findings to senior leadership and establishing a framework for regular review and follow-up.
- Led legislative initiatives to enhance academic policies and faculty governance.
- Collaborated with faculty and administration to develop strategic university programs.
- Enhanced communication channels between students and administration through regular updates and forums.
Associate Professor / Assistant Professor
University of Dallas
Irving, TX
01.2012 - 01.2024
- Advised and mentored undergraduate students across diverse backgrounds, guiding their academic and professional development while fostering an inclusive learning environment.
- Designed and directed lower- and upper-level Spanish language and Latin American literature courses with curriculum emphasizing historically marginalized voices, intercultural understanding, and civic engagement.
- Developed and delivered interdisciplinary courses on Latin American history, culture, and global issues, fostering critical dialogue on identity, migration, and social justice.
- Created and applied inclusive assessment strategies to evaluate linguistic and analytical skills, ensuring equitable feedback and opportunities for all students to demonstrate proficiency.
- Presented research innovations at national and international conferences, highlighting intersections of language, literature, and human rights to advance inclusive scholarly practices.
- Developed and delivered engaging course content to promote academic excellence.
- Mentored junior faculty, fostering professional growth and enhancing teaching methodologies.
Education
Ph.D. - Latin American Literature, History
Indiana University, Bloomington
Bloomington08-2011
M.A. - Spanish Language And Literature
Miami University of Ohio
Oxford, OH2003
B.A. - Spanish & English Literature
Knox College
Galesburg, IL06-2000
Skills
- Institutional DEI Strategy & Implementation
- Inclusion, Belonging & School Climate Initiatives
- Student Affinity & Identity-Based Programming
- Difficult Dialogues & Community Education
- Policy Development & Shared Governance
- Cross-Constituency Collaboration
- Program Assessment & Continuous Improvement
- Strong communication skills
- Inclusive Hiring, Retention & Enrollment Partnerships
Languages
French
Limited Working
Spanish
Native or Bilingual
English
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Upper School Spanish Teacher
North Shore Country Day School
01.2024 - Current
Co-Director and Faculty, College Citizens
University of Dallas
01.2022 - 01.2024
President
University Chapter of the AAUP (American Association of University Professors)
01.2022 - 01.2024
Chair, Modern Languages Department
University of Dallas
01.2021 - 01.2024
Faculty Senator
University of Dallas
01.2021 - 01.2024
Student Success, Equity, and Belonging Leadership
University of Dallas
08.2012 - 06.2024
Associate Professor / Assistant Professor
University of Dallas
01.2012 - 01.2024
Ph.D. - Latin American Literature, History
Indiana University, Bloomington
M.A. - Spanish Language And Literature
Miami University of Ohio
B.A. - Spanish & English Literature
Knox College
Awards
Michael A. Haggar Fellow, 2018.
University’s award for excellence in junior faculty. Praised as a “distinct and important voice on campus” that helps to lead the university’s engagement with “the complex issues of our times.”