Christopher Martz Arima elected as Excelsior University Alumni Leadership Council second vice president
Excelsior University Alumni Leadership Council second vice president Christopher Martz Arima
ALBANY, N.Y. — Excelsior University today announced the election of Christopher Martz Arima to the position of Alumni Leadership Council (ALC) second vice president. In his leadership role with the 12-member council, Arima will help guide initiatives in alumni engagement and outreach, strengthen the network of more than 200,000 Excelsior graduates, and act as an official representative of the University over the course of his terms.
Arima, B.S. ’18, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is an assistant district attorney with the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Bernalillo County, New Mexico. A veteran and practicing attorney, Arima’s career bridges public service, legal advocacy, and education. Before joining the District Attorney’s Office, he managed his own law firm, Arima Law, and previously served as a public defender with the New Mexico Law Offices of the Public Defender. Arima earned his Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law (cum laude, with a Certificate in National Security and Counterterrorism Law), a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts from Excelsior University, and an Associate of Arts in Arabic from the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center.
He teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in mediation, constitutional law, and criminal justice at Excelsior University. A member of the American Bar Association, the New Mexico State Bar, the Albuquerque Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the Justinian Society, and the Young Democrats of New Mexico, Arima has served as Chair of the ABA Young Lawyers Division Committee on Criminal Justice and as liaison to the Committee on Homelessness and Poverty. He is the author of numerous scholarly publications.
“Excelsior University changed what was possible for me, and service on the Alumni Leadership Council is a way to give that opportunity forward,” said Arima. “My commitment is to our alumni community, to inclusive engagement, and to ensuring that Excelsior University continues to grow in reach, relevance, and purpose ever upward.”
Arima is joined on the ALC leadership team by Ruth Lown Turman, president, and Christopher Alan Hirschler, first vice president. The council membership also includes Sena Amegbletor, Matthew Baumgartner, Annie L. Hough-Everage, Pamela Monk, Morgan CJ Morgan, Douglas Perry, Tony Spearman-Leach, and Samuel T. Watkins Jr. Made up of Excelsior graduates representing a wide range of professions and backgrounds, the ALC reflects the diverse nature of Excelsior’s alumni population.
Find more information on the ALC, including individual member biographies, here.
Media contact Excelsior University:
Jason Bonafide, jbonafide@excelsior.edu, 518-608-8446
About Excelsior University
Excelsior University is an accredited, not-for-profit higher education institution focused on helping learners complete their degrees and advance their careers. Excelsior contributes to the development of a diverse, educated, and career-ready society by valuing lifelong learning with an emphasis on serving individuals historically underrepresented in higher education. Founded in 1971 in Albany, New York, Excelsior meets students where they are — academically and geographically — removing obstacles to the educational goals of adults pursuing continuing education and degree completion. Our pillars include innovation, flexibility, academic excellence, and integrity.
Excelsior is a not-for-profit university with a main campus in Albany, New York, and an educational site in St. Petersburg, Florida. Excelsior University’s academic programs are registered by the New York State Education Department, with additional licensing for Florida-based programs.
Licensed by the Commission for Independent Education, Florida Department of Education (License No. 12928). Additional information regarding this institution may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1414, Tallahassee, FL 323099-0400, toll-free number: (888)-224-6684.
