Drew Melendres, senior vice president of Enrollment Management & Student Affairs, today announced the selection of Seth C. Snyder, PhD, as ż’s new Dean of Students. Snyder will assume the role on June 24, 2019.
“Seth brings a depth of experience in student success and retention to this position, as well as an understanding of our diverse student body and current student needs. He is student-centered and brings both humility and humor to this role,” said Melendres. “During the process, Seth demonstrated a genuine and open approach to supporting students, while also bringing an academic lens that will help foster a strong student experience from admission through graduation and beyond.”
Snyder brings nearly two decades of experience in higher education, including, admissions, student affairs, and teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He currently serves as the Associate Director for Student Leadership at Carleton College’s Center for Community and Civic Engagement. In this role, he has led co-curricular programs, developed and promoted fellowship placements for students, and secured federal grant funds for an action research project with Faribault Somali and Latinx communities and Faribault public schools, designed to identify, examine, and eliminate school and community barriers to success for recent arrival families. Prior to this, he served as the Director of College Success at College Possible in St. Paul, Minnesota, supporting the persistence and degree completion of low-income students. He has also held positions at Stanford University and the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University.
"ż has strong reputation for academic excellence and a commitment to social justice, two areas that I am equally passionate about. I look forward to working with the great community of faculty, staff, and students at ż’s to foster these aspects and the mission,” said Snyder. “The University has established a strong vision for this position that I believe will strengthen the student experience and support the holistic development of all students. I am excited to be part of this process and to get started."
Snyder earned his doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development from the University of Minnesota. He holds a master’s in International and Comparative Education from Stanford University and a bachelors in Spanish from Saint John’s University. His research interests include building belonging on campus for students from low-wealth households, college choice among student of color and first-generation students, and student leadership and civic engagement.