Tianna Cervantez

Associate Dean/Director of Intercultural Life

Tianna received her B.A. in Anthropology/Sociology from Knox College and her A.M. in Policy Planning, Analysis and Advocacy, with a concentration in Violence Prevention, from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. As Assistant Dean, Tianna plans and implements programming that supports the College's mission of inclusivity. She provides various diversity workshops for members of the campus community throughout the year. Tianna, along with the Multicultural Student Advisory Council, is responsible for the planning and implementation of the campus' annual Day of Dialogue.  

Tianna is an elected member of the community's local school board, CUSD #205, and she is also the Vice Chair of the IASB Western Division. She has been a member of the Knox County Child Advocacy Center's Advisory Board since 2011 and is a volunteer assistant coach for the GHS Gadets. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family. She has one son, Tavian, who is a senior in college.

309-341-7231

tcervant@knox.edu

Aries Powell

they/them

Assistant Director of Intercultural Life and LGBTQ+ Advisor

Aries is a first generation student from Wilmington, Delaware. There Aries cultivated a genuine love for the arts, music, reading for pleasure, education, and advocacy work. Aries moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 2015 to pursue their Bachelors Degree at Wake Forest University. Graduating in 2019, majoring in Sociology with minors in Africana Studies and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Aries was drawn to learn more about intersectionality and already knew that they wanted to pursue graduate studies. In 2019, Aries immediately went on to pursue their Masters in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of North Carolina - Greensboro. There they studied Black Feminism, Transfeminism, Queer Theory, Decolonialism, Intersectionality, and Black Literature. Their thesis was a study of Afro-Diasporan religious practices and the queerness of Black cosmologies.

In their new role as Assistant Director and LGBTQ+ Coordinator, Aries is responsible for supporting the 6 cultural centers and other student groups supervised by Intercultural Life. They plan programming and support the programming of student groups, and promote belonging and inclusion for LGBTQ+ faculty and staff. They are in the process of creating diversity workshops for the college about gender, sexuality, intersectionality, and inclusion. Most importantly, in this position Aries is tasked with being a mentor and point of contact for students progressing in their sexuality/gender journey; helping them with legal name changes, gaining access to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), providing LGBTQ+ educational resources, discussion of the coming out process, and much more.

Aries is incredibly interested in writing, scholarship, and activism. They worked with several organizations while living in North Carolina, like the Triad Abolition Project and Southerners on New Ground. They run a blog about Black Queer sexual politics in our everyday lives, and love to find new Black science fiction and fantasy authors to read in their spare time. Aries currently lives in an on campus residence with their partner and their black cat, Bishop. Having recently moved from North Carolina, the entire family is excited to see real snow, experience a midwestern winter, and learn more about the campus and the city of Galesburg.

309-341-7920

apowell@knox.edu

Natalie Clark

Administrative Assistant for Intercultural Life and the Kleine Center for Community Service

Natalie Clark has been at Knox College for more than 13 years. She received her B.A. in Communication Studies from Monmouth College. Natalie is the Administrative Assistant for Intercultural Life and the Kleine Center for Community Service. As a liberal arts college graduate, she believes in the importance of being challenged to grow and learn, while simultaneously being encouraged and supported, in a diverse and engaging environment.

Natalie lives at Lake Bracken with her husband and two daughters. She believes hard work is a beautiful thing so in her free time she enjoys farm chores, gardening, rescuing animals, and volunteering in the community.

309-341-7230

nclark@knox.edu