Diversity Spotlight: Bobby Kunstman

This story was written by the University Office for Diversity and Inclusion

Miami, Florida is about a diverse community as one might find in the United States. A true melting pot of cultures, religions, and backgrounds, the vibrant city allowed Bobby Kunstman, director of Student Life and Leadership at Carolina, the freedom to flourish throughout his early years. Identifying as Black, Cuban, biracial and gay, he felt fortunate to be exposed to others who shared his background…as well as those who didn’t. “I felt a sense of belonging and that I could be myself,” he said. “It wasn’t until I moved away to [Tallahassee, to attend] Florida State that I realized how much growing I would undergo there and continue to do to this day.”

An only child and a first-generation student, his parents were supportive of whatever path he chose to take. An early indication of the direction his life would eventually take occurred when he joined the Boy Scouts of America and quickly discovered a passion for leadership. Once that seed was planted, it held firm and became the trigger for what would lead him to earn a Master’s in Leadership & Ethics from North Central College and, in 2017, a doctorate in Higher Education & Student Affairs Leadership from the University of Northern Colorado. Before arriving at UNC in 2014, he served as an Assistant Director in the Student Leadership, Involvement & Community Engagement Office at Colorado State University.

Read more about Bobby Kunstman at the Diversity and Inclusion website.