Bio: Sara Xayarath Hernández
As the Associate Dean for Inclusion and Student & Faculty Engagement for the Graduate School at Cornell University, Hernández provides strategic leadership to advance institutional goals related to access, equal opportunity, and inclusion in graduate education for the benefit of all students. She champions mission-driven, systemic change, focusing on holistic graduate admissions and inclusive mentoring practices and structures, and fostering positive academic environments.
Hernández oversees the Graduate School Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement, leading a comprehensive portfolio of initiatives that promote academic success, a sense of belonging, student and faculty engagement, and professional growth for careers within and beyond academia. In collaboration with the Provost’s Office of Faculty Development and Diversity, she co-leads the Faculty Advancing Inclusive Mentoring (FAIM) Resource Center, a university-wide initiative that provides research-informed training and resources to support inclusive and effective mentoring relationships among faculty and graduate students. Hernández serves on the university’s Academic Diversity Council, working closely with the Deputy Provost and campus partners to inform institutional policy and strategy. She has also served as a PI and Co-PI on grants sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Beyond Cornell, Hernández contributes to national conversations on graduate and STEM education through her service on advisory boards and external committees. Hernández is also a member of the leadership team for the national Equity in Graduate Education Consortium, serving as the Liaison Community Engagement Coordinator.
A first-generation college graduate, Hernández earned a Bachelor of Arts in Zoology from Ohio Wesleyan University and a Master of Regional Planning from Cornell University, where she focused on economic and community development. Navigating life in partnership with her husband and keeping up with their young daughter brings her great joy and keeps her grounded.