Vice President Student Experience

Vice President for Student Experience

Capital University seeks an innovative, student-centered, and collaborative leader to serve as the inaugural Vice President for Student Experience (VPSE). Reporting directly to the President and serving as a member of the President's Cabinet, the VPSE will advance the University's mission to transform lives by empowering an inclusive community of learners through engaging academic, co-curricular, and professional experiences.

The Vice President will lead the newly formed Division of the Student Experience, integrating student affairs, student success, retention, and persistence efforts to provide a seamless, holistic student journey from orientation through graduation. The VPSE will serve as Capital's chief advocate for student well‑being and belonging - ensuring that every student thrives academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually within a community grounded in Lutheran values and a deep commitment to inclusion and open inquiry.

The University delivers undergraduate and graduate programs to over 2,400 students in the arts, sciences, humanities and professions, including graduate degrees in law, business, clinical mental health and school counseling, divinity and theology, social work, music, and education.

• Provide visionary leadership and strategic direction for the Division of the Student Experience, aligning innovative, data‑forward initiatives with Capital's mission, values, and strategic priorities. The VPSE oversees the following departments / areas :
• Academic success (Tutoring, Supplemental Instruction, Academic Coaching, and the Writing Center)
• Student Success (Student Success Coaching, Early Alerts / Interventions)
• Career Development
• Student & Community Engagement
• Clubs & Organizations
• Leadership Development
• Orientation & Transition Programs
• Parent and Family Programs
• Campus Activities
• Community and Civic Engagement (Cap Cupboard / Cap Closet and America Reads)
• Student Government
• Student Union Activities
• Wellness and Prevention Programs (Certified Peer Educators and The Mezz Fitness Center)
• Fraternity & Sorority Life
• Diversity and Inclusion (Smooth Transition and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Learning)
• Residence & Commuter Life
• ADA / Accessibility Services
• Title IX
• Student Conduct
• Global Education & International Student Support Services
• Center for Health & Wellness
• University Pastor & Religious Life
• Partner with Academic Affairs, Enrollment Management, Athletics, and other divisions to promote a cohesive student experience centered on success, belonging, and purpose.
• Lead campus‑wide efforts to drive high‑impact, measurable strategies to improve student retention, persistence, and engagement, using data‑forward insights and national best practices.
• Serve as a visible, trusted member of the President's Cabinet and a key voice for the student experience in institutional planning and decision‑making.

• Oversee an integrated network of student success functions, including academic support, advising partnerships, persistence and retention initiatives, career development, counseling, wellness, and basic need for resources.
• Champion the holistic well‑being of students through coordinated care models, proactive interventions, and programs that enhance belonging, identity development, and life skills.
• Ensure effective systems for early alerts, case management, and student support services to address barriers to student success.
• Work to identify and collaboratively address barriers to access for students, faculty, and staff with disabilities to build a more accessible campus and college experience.

• Foster a vibrant campus community that celebrates Capital's Cap Fam culture through residence life, student engagement, leadership development, athletics, faith and spiritual life, community engagement, and student organizations.
• Promote opportunities for civic engagement, experiential learning, and leadership that reinforce Capital's commitment to vocation, values, and learning through doing.
• Partner with students, faculty, and staff to enhance the culture of inclusion, safety, and…