Richard Quiles ’24 works towards a more inclusive future at
Grad leads the charge for diversity, equity and inclusion on campus
When you think of corporate jobs, the positions that might pop into your mind could include Michael Scott from The Office, or other shows, like Severance, that take place behind a desk. And while that can be true, there’s a side to the field that many don’t consider.
For Richard Quiles ’24, that side — which he calls “The interesting part of Human Resources” — has always appealed.
“In the senior year of my bachelor’s degree, I knew I wanted to do some sort of corporate work,” said Quiles, the coordinator for diversity education at . “I spoke to a friend, who told me about DEI, and it was exactly what I wanted to do — I just didn’t know there was a name for it.”
As a coordinator, Quiles works to foster inclusive environments and drive initiatives that empower marginalized communities. He has a passion for understanding societal structures and advocating for equity in both institutional and community settings.
That explains why he was a good fit for both the full-time role and his path as a student: He holds a bachelor’s degree in sociocultural anthropology from and will receive his master’s degree in human rights this spring.
He says the connections between his degrees and his new position are clear the longer he serves in the role.
“Everything I studied for the past four years plays into this position. I knew I would be working with people from different cultures and backgrounds and making the campus more equitable for everybody,” Quiles says. “I didn’t realize, especially in a university setting, how much hands-on groundwork it would require, from going to classrooms, to being that step between the administration and the students, to so much more.”
Transitioning from student to full-time staff as part of UDiversity team, he has been able to participate in ’s first National Day of Racial Healing, lead presentations across campus and tap into his creative side by managing the UDiversity social media accounts (@udiversitybing). He’s designed workshops, training sessions and programs, and partnered with campus leaders, student organizations and external stakeholders to advance the university’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, all while supporting systemic change and innovation.
“After our trainings, we hope people have a sense of, at least, how these topics apply practically to their lives and work. That’s one big aspect of it — people might not know what these ideas are and so don’t know how to implement them or how to take them out into the world. But if they take one little thing away with them, I hope that it’s to continually be learning.”
Quiles comes from Woodbury, N.Y., a town just over two hours from . It was there that he began to consider a future career in DEI. Since then, he’s had numerous experiences that have led him to seeing the world through other people’s eyes; He became an Eagle Scout in 2021, interned at the Art Museum as a preparator and served as the Windham Hall president.
He is also interested in holistic well-being, working for both ’s Health and Wellness program and Guthrie as an experienced fitness instructor, focused on promoting healthier lifestyles.
“In my anthropology courses, we were all very like-minded people,” Quiles says. “Working in the gym and the Art Museum opened me up to people who I would have never met if I didn’t do those programs. There are people at from all over the state, all over the country, all over the world!”
But Quiles didn’t always know for sure that would be his future school. He considered Stony Brook University, but realized that drew his interest, as a more energetic campus that was less focused on commuting. Now, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I’ve witnessed firsthand how just top of the line is,” he added. “Looking back on it has made my decision to come here so much more concrete. I’m happy to be able to say I went to .”
He cites the professional staff and faculty — in every department and program he’s been a part of — as a particular highlight. With his unique interests, he says that many of the professors helped him tailor the program to his needs.
Throughout his coursework, too, he’s been surprised by just how much work and activism a movement takes. The long, often tedious, process of asking questions and continuing to build up despite setbacks was a major learning curve that he takes into his future. With the uncertain future of DEI, he is proud to work at , where this work continues to advance.
“I know there’s a lot of pushbacks — yet our overall goal stays the same,” Quiles says. “We will be here every day doing the work that needs to be done. It’s important to be understanding of different backgrounds and cultures and how to have tough conversations with people about our differences, and that’s the heart of DEI.”
In the long term, Quiles hopes to continue learning. While he’s at , he plans to utilize the Space Available program to apply for a doctorate or an MBA program. Eventually, he hopes to move to a larger city like New York City or California.
In the meantime, he continues to study the showmanship of corporate DEI as he completes his degree. Quiles is happy to move into the professional world officially, though he says he’ll miss the freedom of being a student. He’s thankful for the time he’s spent exploring his passions and making connections, and he urges the next generation — who he sees in his office everyday — to do the same.
“This has been a long road, and I’m finally able to continue doing this work and moving up. I’m so lucky to still be a student and have a full-time position,” he says. “Someday, doing DEI in a bigger city to expand my horizons will be amazing. But I’m happy living in the community I grew up in, and working to make it better.”