Vice President for Student Life
John Blackshear named vice president for student life
August 28, 2023
John Blackshear will join the University of Rochester as vice president for student life. Blackshear brings more than 20 years of student life and residential life experience to the role. For the past three years, Blackshear has served as associate vice president for student affairs, dean of students, and associate vice provost of undergraduate education at Duke University. Blackshear’s appointment is effective January 1, 2024.
Visit the University’s News Center to learn more
More about the position
The Vice President for Student Life will build and lead a new division dedicated to student success at Rochester. Reporting to the Provost, this new role will help create an exceptional undergraduate and graduate student experience—specifically at a residential, research-intensive university. By providing visionary leadership, the new VP for Student Life will bring together offices and develop student-first, university-wide approaches to campus life at Rochester.
Search committee
An internal committee was formed to aid in the search for this position.
- Jane Gatewood, Search Committee Chair, Vice Provost for Global Engagement
- Rob Alexander, Dean of Admissions, Financial Aid, and Enrollment Management
- Adrija Bhattacharjee, President, Students’ Association Government
- William Hurtz, President, Eastman Students’ Association
- Liz Bruno, President, Brady Education Foundation, Trustee
- Noah Drezner, Professor of Higher Education, Columbia University Teachers College, Co-chair of Diversity Advisory Committee
- Emily Cihon Fehnel, Deputy to the Dean of the College
- Gerald Gamm, Professor of Political Science and of History, NCAA Faculty-Athletic Representative and Faculty Senate Executive Committee
- Kevin Garewal, Vice Provost and Andrew H. and Janet Dayton Neilly Dean of the University of Rochester Libraries
- John Hain, Senior Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs, Eastman School of Music
- Courtney Jones, Associate Professor of Emergency Research Administration, Associate Professor of Orthopaedics, and Co-Chair, Faculty Senate
- Dennis Proulx, Assistant Dean of Students, Simon Business School
- Ashfaq Rahman, Incoming President, Simon Graduate Business Council
- Col Raimond, Director of LGBTQ Life and Staff Ombudsperson
- Jeff Runner, Vice Provost and University Dean of Undergraduate Education and Dean of the College
- Tricia Shalka, Associate Professor of Education Leadership, Warner School of Education
- Tynelle Stewart, Assistant Dean and Director, Center for Study Abroad, and Assistant Vice Provost for Global Education
- Melissa Sturge-Apple, Vice Provost and University Dean of Graduate Education
- Joe Testani, Deputy to the President
- George VanderZwaag, Executive Director of Athletics
In addition, Gigi DeMita-Benway, Executive Director of Provost Operations, served as Search Committee Staff.