Our Team
Valerie leads and oversees the center’s programs and services, drawing on over 25 years of experience building strong, trusting relationships across campus. She has collaborated with students and campus partners to develop meaningful intercultural initiatives that foster a sense of belonging for diverse communities at Penn. This has helped establish the center as a hub for supportive collaboration and innovation. Valerie also enjoys applying her background in psychology and counseling to mentor and coach both students and colleagues. Outside of work, she loves traveling, sharing great food spots in Philadelphia, and reading inspiring fiction and poetry.
Patricia plays a key administrative role as the building manager, overseeing the facility, handling financial transactions, and providing essential support for center courses, educational programs, student organizations, workshops, and events. Drawing from her experience as a mother of two, she helps both parents and students navigate their college journey. Patricia is passionate about connecting with parents, students, and alumni to foster a sense of “home away from home” at the GIC. She brings valuable skills from her work in local non-profits to event planning and community building at Penn. In her free time, Patricia enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, and gardening.
Born in a refugee camp in Thailand and raised in snowy St. Paul, Minnesota, Kia brings a unique perspective to her work at the GIC. Kia oversees signature programs such as the Alliance for Understanding (AU), the Intercultural Leadership Program (ILP), our credit-bearing courses, and communications outreach. She also serves as the advisor for the United Minorities Council (UMC). As an alumna of PennGSE’s Intercultural Communication program (GED ’16), Kia is a valuable resource for students navigating the job search in the intercultural field. When she’s not at the GIC, you can catch her running a race in the city or hiking up a mountain.
Mary Ann joined the GIC team in Fall 2023, bringing her experience from Wahiawā, Hawaiʻi. In her new role, she will help design leadership development opportunities and cultural wellness initiatives aimed at supporting students from diverse backgrounds as they thrive at Penn. Mary Ann will oversee PennFLASH, our intercultural virtual alumni community platform, and contribute her expertise and passion to supporting Native, Indigenous, and First Nation students. As the advisor for Natives at Penn (NAP), she will guide community building, advocacy, and program planning and implementation. Outside of work, Mary Ann looks forward to spending time outdoors, exploring the city, and finding new ways to get involved.
Ranim Albarkawi serves as the Program Coordinator for MENA & Arab Student Communities. She graduated from Penn in 2024 and has been working at the University since. In her role, Ranim develops and leads culturally meaningful programs, advises student organizations representing Middle Eastern, North African, and Arab communities, partners with various campus offices, and offers support as a key point of contact for students. As someone that loves a long walk, Ranim will always suggest walking to a destination no matter how impractical it may seem.
FAQ
Getting Involved:
The mission of the Albert M. Greenfield Intercultural Center (GIC) is to build community, create a sense of belonging, and foster intercultural understanding. The center also works closely to advise and support student organizations interested in planning campus-wide intercultural activities. We are also available to assist in designing and implementing workshops for student organizations and administrative offices on campus. For graduate students interested in doing applied work in intercultural education, the center provides a small number of intercultural internships.
You can get involved with the GIC both formally and informally. Formally, you can join one of our several intercultural offerings. Informally, you can just show up at our center and join us for our weekly events such as Pancake Mondays, FruiTea, Navigating Journeys, and more!
You don’t have to sign up or interview or be on a specific listerv in order to engage with the GIC. All you have to do is show up!
No, the UMC represents a diverse number of student organizations. You are welcome to join one of the UMC’s constituent groups and represent that organization at UMC’s General Body meetings. You can also participate by applying to join the UMC Board.
Yes. The GIC has worked with departments across the university to design workshops that meet student and staff needs. Some examples include summer workshops for staff.
Yes, depending on the breadth and nature of the program. The very nature of intercultural work requires collaboration and the leveraging of diverse resources and talents. All of our programs are collaborations between GIC, our campus partners as well as, community partnerships. For more information, contact Director Valerie De Cruz at decruz@upenn.edu.
Graduate Students:
Yes! Many graduate students take our courses and participate in our signature programs. There are also a few internships at the center for graduate students who are interested in doing applied work in intercultural education. To learn about our courses and signature programs, contact our Associate Director Kia Lor at lork@upenn.edu. For questions about the internships at the center, contact the Director Valerie De Cruz, decruz@upenn.edu.
Program Support:
The GIC funds programs with an intercultural goal. You can learn more on our Student Organization Funding page.
View our meeting spaces here: Meeting Space
If your group is under 25 people, at least three-week notification is required. If your group is 25 people or more, at least one month of notification is required. For more information, contact Associate Director Kia Lor at lork@upenn.edu.
A computer cluster is available on the third floor of the GIC for use by Penn students. It is equipped with three computers and a printer. Should you experience concerns with the equipment, please contact a staff member.
Penn Resources:
Penn Compact 2020 illustrates the University’s commitment to increasing access and diversity. Penn strives to meet the full financial need of traditional undergraduates with an all-grant aid policy and to strengthen financial aid for graduate and professional students. Penn offers additional resources and supports that may be helpful for low-income or first-generation students. This web page provides links to services, support, and administrative contacts to assist you with any concerns.
Contact
Albert M. Greenfield Intercultural Center
3708 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104—6188
Phone: (215) 898-3358
Fax: (215) 573-2597
Email: gic@dolphin.upenn.edu
GIC Hours of Operation
Monday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tuesday: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Wednesday: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Thursday: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Friday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
History
The Albert M. Greenfield Intercultural Center was established in 1984, in response to the 1978 United Minorities Council’s call for a campus center for minority students. Under the direction of the founding Director Rene Gonzalez, the Greenfield Intercultural Center’s mission was twofold: to provide support for student of color and to foster intercultural understanding on campus. He and his family lived in the house behind GIC and cultivated a culture of close-knit community at GIC. In addition to fostering intercultural understanding, the center was home to four major communities and helped establish ethnic heritage months and programs to celebrate the rich heritages of African American, Latino, Asian American and Native American communities.
A decade ago, Penn expanded on the center’s mission by adding three sister centers, Makuu the Black Cultural Center, La Casa Latina- Center for Hispanic Excellence and PAACH- the Pan Asian American Community House. As these vibrant centers began to absorb and increase programming to serve those communities, the GIC in turn expanded its support for Native communities and has reached out to newer communities such as Arab communities, Turkish students and international students. The center also offers numerous courses for credit, programs, and services designed to engage students around diversity and enhance their cultural competency skills for the 21st century.
Faithful to its original mission, the center continues to serve as an intercultural incubator of new ideas and programs and a resource not only for students but also to the greater Penn community.