Gelaye Honored by Urban League of Springfield

Enku Gelaye, vice chancellor for student affairs and campus life, was among 16 honored as Black Women of Excellence at the Urban League of Springfield’s 105th Annual Dinner March 27.

Gelaye, who has held the post of vice chancellor since 2014, oversees staff and programs that promote the intellectual, physical and emotional well-being of more than 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

Her office’s responsibilities include residential life and off-campus student services, registered student organizations, advocacy and inclusion programs, counseling and psychological health and the university police department.

Gelaye joined UMass Amherst as associate vice chancellor and dean of students in 2011 and served a year as interim vice chancellor. She led a division-wide organizational review and restructuring process of the office and oversaw development and implementation of the UMatter at UMass initiative, which promotes a climate of responsibility to prevent sexual assault, misuse of alcohol and other drugs, bias-related activities, bullying, harassment and violence, and depression and suicide.

She has a J.D. from the University of Georgia and a B.S. from the University of Tennessee.

The Urban League also recognized three UMass Amherst alumni as black Women of excellence:

Tania Marie Barber (bachelor’s degree, University Without Walls) is president/CEO of Caring Health Center Inc. and pastor/founder of Living Water Global Ministries.
Adrienne Yvette Smith (doctorate in education policy and higher education administration) is dean of engineering technologies and mathematics at Springfield Technical Community College.
Cheryl Stanley (doctorate in education) is dean of education at Westfield State University.