Dean of Students Named

GAMBIER, Ohio (May 8, 2006) Kenyon has chosen Tammy M. Gocial as its new dean of students. President S. Georgia Nugent announced the appointment of Gocial, who is currently assistant vice president and dean of student life at the College of Santa Fe in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The new dean, who has worked for nearly twenty years in college administration and student affairs, will assume her responsibilities in July.

"Dr. Gocial impressed the search committee and the community as a person with energy, ideas, intelligence, and a deep commitment to students," Nugent said. "She is truly excited about the possibility of working with the caliber of students, faculty, and staff colleagues that she will join at Kenyon." Gocial will replace former Dean of Students Donald J. Omahan.

"I'm thrilled to be coming to Kenyon," said Gocial, who holds a Ph.D. in psychology. "I'm eager to work with the existing traditions, and especially with the talented, multifaceted students--that is really what attracted me to Kenyon."

A member of the administration at Santa Fe since 2003, Gocial has been responsible for projects to design new campus housing and initiatives to increase diversity. She has taken a leading role in developing programming to prevent drug and alcohol abuse, and colleagues describe her as someone who "motivates, excites, and brings new vision" to her job. Gocial oversees every nonacademic aspect of student life at the school, a private liberal arts institution of approximately 2,000 students, with nationally recognized programs in theater, the visual arts, creative writing, and film.

Gocial "can help Kenyon take student life to the next level," said Aileen C. Hefferren '88, chief executive of Prep for Prep and a College trustee who served on the search committee for the new dean. "She has a wealth of experience in every area of student life, including the toughest issues--alcohol, mental health, sexual issues, conflicts in residence halls. I was particularly struck by the way she responded to one of our questions about how she'd handle a difficult student situation. We were all taken by her immediate appreciation for the human side of the problem. She knows how to take action as a professional, but she realizes that individual student lives are involved."

"She will be a very strong advocate for students," said Samuel E. Shopinski '06, president of Student Council, who also served on the search committee. "One of the things that impressed us the most is that she has the background, the collegiate experience, to come to Kenyon and help our campus mature even more. We're hoping that we'll see more interaction with faculty outside the classroom."

As dean of students, Gocial will be the chief student affairs officer of the College, reporting directly to the president. The dean sets the vision and direction for a division of ninety-three staff members.

Gocial earned a B.S. in education at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and an M.A. in college student personnel at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. She earned a doctorate in applied-experimental psychology, with a development/social emphasis, at Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri.