Dr. Maria D. Martinez

Dr. Maria D. Martinez is Director of the Center for Academic Programs at the University of Connecticut.  In her role as Director, Dr. Martinez is able to promote the Center’s mission which is to increase access to higher education for high-potential students who come from underrepresented ethnic or economic backgrounds and/or are first-generation college students, through its four educational opportunity programs.  An active member of the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Association of Latinos in Higher Education (CALAHE), Dr. Martinez is currently serving as President. She is a member of the Connecticut Association of Educational Opportunity Programs (CAEOP) and the New England Educational Opportunity Association (NEOA) and holds an institutional membership with the Council for Opportunity in Education.  At the University of Connecticut, she is a member of numerous committees and task forces.  Recently she has joined a committee to increase the University’s recruitment efforts in Hispanic communities.  Dr. Martinez is sought after as a guest speaker for conferences and workshops due to her expertise in the areas of educational access, outreach and issues pertaining to higher education and underrepresented groups.  In all of these capacities Dr. Martinez influences programming and policies and is a strong advocate for increasing educational opportunities for all students.  Dr. Martinez holds a B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Education from Herbert H. Lehman College in New York City, a Master's in Social Work and Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Connecticut.