Manuel Del Real Ph.D.

AVP of Membership

Council Term: 2023-2026

Metropolitan State University of Denver

Executive Director of HSI Initiatives and Inclusion

Dr. Manuel Del Real is the Executive Director of HSI Initiatives and Inclusion at Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver). He directs and promotes strategies and operations aimed at ensuring MSU Denver continues to be a model Hispanic Serving Institution. He is a Co-Principal Investigator for one of MSU Denver’s Title III Grants, Part F, focusing on HSI STEM and Articulation Programs. As part of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, he works to promote the ongoing development of an equitable and inclusive campus community that nurtures learning and growth for all its members. Dr. Del Real is a Co-Founder of the Colorado HSI Consortium and President-Elect for the Colorado Coalition for the Educational Advancement of Latinxs. 

Dr. Del Real was born and raised on the Northside of Denver, Colorado and attended Denver Public Schools. He received his B.A. in French, Psychology, Spanish, and M.A. in Higher Education with a focus on Diversity in Organizations from the University of Denver. He received his Ph.D. in Education with a focus on Higher Education and Social Justice from Iowa State University. 

As a critical social justice scholar practitioner, Dr. Del Real is committed to promoting access, diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. As a student affairs practitioner for over thirteen years, he has effectively led initiatives focusing on underrepresented populations and increasing postsecondary access and success. As a former faculty member, he taught courses on curriculum and instruction, ethnicity in the media, and Chicanx history and culture. His scholarly interests center on race, gender, and sexuality. Specifically focusing on Greek-letter organizations and Latino males in higher education.