Advocacy through Caritas

It might surprise some to learn that Aronté Bennett, PhD, doesn’t actively seek the role of changemaker. As the Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at the Villanova School of Business, Dr. Bennett instead looks for ways to serve others, especially those who may not feel heard or seen by the world.

A member of the marketing faculty, Dr. Bennett teaches consumer behavior and market research to both undergraduate and graduate students, while her research focuses on the ways that marketing systems can be enhanced for vulnerable consumers: immigrants, low-income consumers, and underrepresented minority groups. This work informed her prior role as the Faculty Director for the VSB Office of DEI and the campus-wide DEI Committee. Since becoming VSB’s Associate Dean of DEI in 2021, Dr. Bennett looks to foster a more inclusive climate by serving as a positive agitator through collaborative conversations, faculty and staff training and curricular enhancements, to start.

Beyond VSB, Dr. Bennett has been actively involved with The Junior League of Philadelphia for more than a decade. Most recently as its President, she participated in the creation and execution of community programming to address food insecurity, one of Philadelphia’s most pressing social issues. This role also affords her the opportunity to support the next generation of female leaders.

With both the Office of DEI at VSB and as the President of the Junior League, Dr. Bennett will readily acknowledge that she pursued leadership roles unsure of whether she had all the answers but she forged ahead because she believed in her purpose. “I want others to understand that the path to impact is not always intentional or charted. Rather, it can develop organically, so long as you make decisions that are driven by your desire to be of service to others.”

Dr. Bennett embraces that sense of service from a place of deep gratitude. “I am increasingly cognizant of the circumstances of my life that have contributed to my success, most notably the support and advocacy of others who saw my potential, even when it was not apparent to me. I feel a sense of responsibility specifically to those who may be overlooked. I want to encourage, prepare, even embolden, others to step into their potential.”

“VSB’s Augustinian tradition is founded in the concept of Caritas, which is inseparable from work done to give voice to the voiceless. It is, in fact, love that pushes us to advocate on the behalf of others,” Dr. Bennett concludes.