On to greener pastures

Deantini and Dean Goldfarb just sent out an email stating that “After nearly 14 years at Columbia, Kevin Shollenberger has announced that he will be stepping down from his position as Dean of Student Affairs for Columbia College and The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science to become Vice Provost for Student Affairs at Johns Hopkins University.”

Student Affairs does not yet have a timeline on picking the new dean. Terry Martinez, Dean of Community Development and Multicultural Affairs, will serve as interim dean after May 31.

Read the rest of their message:

Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:

After nearly 14 years at Columbia, Kevin Shollenberger has announced that he will be stepping down from his position as Dean of Student Affairs for Columbia College and The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science to become Vice Provost for Student Affairs at Johns Hopkins University. This is a very exciting opportunity for Kevin, and while we are sad to see him go, we are extremely grateful for all he has done for students in the College and Engineering during his time here.

Under Kevin’s leadership, Student Affairs has enhanced the co-curricular experience for our students, developing a new advising model, expanding international student programs and services, and standardizing judicial processes and approaches to student crises. The division has also improved outreach and communication to parents and families, increased opportunities for student-alumni engagement and initiated a number of other new programs and services that support our vibrant undergraduate student community. Kevin previously served for nine years as Associate Dean of Student Affairs, where he played a key role in the establishment of the Offices of Multicultural Affairs, Judicial Affairs, and Civic Action and Engagement, and helped enhance the Offices of Residential Programs and Student Development and Activities.

Kevin has been a committed advocate for Columbia students, engaging them on matters of importance, communicating with students and their families at critical times, and facilitating conversations and intergroup dialogues. Kevin is a well-known presence on campus at student events and community celebrations, and has worked tirelessly to strengthen and enhance our undergraduate community.

In his new role at Johns Hopkins, Kevin will oversee all co-curricular services and experiences, including academic services, registration, career services, multicultural affairs, health and wellness counseling, residential life, discipline and academic ethics, housing and dining operations, athletics, student accounts, and student employment, for more than 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

Kevin’s last day at Columbia will be May 31. We have asked Terry Martinez, dean of community development and multicultural affairs, to serve as the Interim Dean of Student Affairs, and she has agreed. Terry has helped strengthen the co-curricular experience and foster community engagement since 2009 and we are looking forward to working with her in this enhanced role.

On behalf of everyone at the College and Engineering, we want to thank Kevin Shollenberger for his many contributions to Columbia and to wish him the very best in his new position.

Sincerely,

James J. Valentini
Dean of Columbia College and
Vice President for Undergraduate Education

Donald Goldfarb
Interim Dean of The Fu Foundation of Engineering and Applied Science and
Alexander and Hermine Avanessians Professor of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research

A different type of Shollenberger via Wikimedia Commons