Cynthia E. Cummings

Cynthia Cummings is a retired university educator and administrator. In her last position, she served as Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. In that capacity, she was as a mentor to student leaders, an advocate for students who felt voiceless, a problem solver for students in crisis, an advisor to faculty members and parents, and a campus expert on student rights and responsibilities.

While at UMass Dartmouth, Cynthia supervised several departments that focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, including the Frederick Douglass Unity House, the Center for Women, Gender, and Sexuality, the Center for Access and Success (Disability Services), and the International Students and Scholars Center. In addition, she directed the Endeavor Leadership Scholars Program for women and students of color, served as the Title IX Deputy Coordinator, and chaired the University’s Diversity and Inclusion Council.

For almost fifty years, Cynthia has been an outspoken activist for racial equity, women’s rights, and LGBTQ+ rights. She has served as a consultant to higher education institutions, public school systems, and community organizations on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
She has received a number of awards and accolades for her work as a social justice activist and community organizer. In 2018, the YWCA of Southeastern Massachusetts honored her as one of its Women of Distinction.

Since her retirement, Cynthia has served on the South Coast LGBTQ+ Network’s Corporate Development Committee, helping to raise $1.2 million for the renovation of a New Bedford building that will become a regional LGBTQ+ Community Center. She served on Southcoast Hospital Group’s Patient Advisory Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. She has been a member of the Women’s Fund SouthCoast’s Board of Directors since 2022.

Cynthia holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in French Language and Literature and a Master of Science Degree in Education from Indiana University, Bloomington.

Cynthia lives in Dartmouth with her partner/wife of 46 years, Mary Hunsche, and their Kerry Blue Terrier Betty.