Alumna and longtime University advocate will lead efforts to strengthen alumni engagement, connection and service. Cheyney University has appointed MarQuita L. Danzy as Director of Alumni Relations, placing a dedicated alumna and experienced community leader at the center of the University’s work to deepen relationships with graduates and create new opportunities for alumni involvement. For MarQuita, Cheyney is more than the institution where she earned her degree. It is a lifelong connection shaped by education, service, family, and a deep commitment to preserving and advancing the University’s legacy while doing what’s in the best interest of our students. A member of the Class of 1999, MarQuita earned a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations with a minor in Vocal Music. She later earned a Master of Science in Administration of Justice from Shippensburg University. She brings more than 26 years of administrative and leadership experience that spans international ministry, community service, and organizational development. MarQuita previously served the University as Director of Campus Amenities and Internal Events, helping create experiences that brought students, employees, alumni and community members together. Her appointment builds upon that work and her longstanding service within the Cheyney alumni community.

She previously served on the Cheyney University of Pennsylvania National Alumni Association Executive Board of Directors as Recording Secretary and has chaired the organization’s National Membership Committee. She is also a financial and active life member of the National Alumni Association and its Philadelphia chapter. MarQuita understands that Cheyney’s alumni are not simply part of our history. They are essential to our future. She brings the institutional knowledge, relationships, and genuine commitment needed to strengthen alumni engagement and create more meaningful ways for our graduates to support Cheyney’s continued progress.

In her new role, MarQuita will focus on strengthening connections across generations of alumni, expanding opportunities for graduates to engage with students and the University, and building a stronger culture of service, advocacy, and philanthropy. Her connection to Cheyney also represents a continuing family legacy. MarQuita is the mother of a 2024 Cheyney graduate, Niya Danzy, who serves as the inaugural president of the Cheyney University of Pennsylvania National Alumni Association Young Alumni Council. Together, their experiences reflect the lasting influence of a Cheyney education and the importance of carrying that legacy forward. MarQuita’s community leadership includes involvement with the Philadelphia HBCU Alumni Alliance, the Trauma Informed Education Coalition and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. She is also a published author and recorded singer, experiences that have further shaped her ability to communicate, build relationships and bring people together. “Cheyney has shaped my life, my family and my commitment to service,” says MarQuita. “I am honored to help strengthen the relationship between the University and the alumni who carry its legacy into communities around the world. I want every Cheyney graduate to know there is a place for them here and a meaningful role for them in our future.” As Director of Alumni Relations, MarQuita will help ensure that Cheyney’s legacy is not only celebrated, but activated through the graduates who continue to advance its mission and represent the University throughout the world.