By Phil Walzer
Following a national search, Old Dominion University announced that Don Stansberry has been named vice president for student engagement and enrollment services.
Stansberry, who has held the position on an interim basis since July 2019, will begin his appointment on Jan. 10.
"Old Dominion is fortunate to have a student-centered leader like Dr. Stansberry - a practitioner, scholar and administrator who has been instrumental in developing and implementing programs at ODU that support and challenge students to achieve personal and academic success," President John R. Broderick said in a letter to faculty and staff. "His wealth of experience has also been a tremendous asset to the University, contributing to the highest retention and graduation rates in its history."
President Broderick touted Stansberry's more than 20 years of leadership and service at ODU, having received high praise and staff confidence as someone "exceptionally qualified to continue the University's positive trajectory in enrollment, retention, graduation and overall student life and welfare."
When national trends predicted steep declines in college enrollment due to the pandemic, Stansberry mobilized more than 350 staff members across campus to call new and returning students and led divisional efforts to increase enrollment. As a result, the University experienced enrollment growth in summer and fall.
"Dr. Stansberry has contributed to our commitment to inclusive excellence by engaging partners in diversifying our student body and creating student success initiatives such as the Safe Space and ODU Cares and supporting Brother2Brother," the president said.
Before joining Old Dominion in 2000, Stansberry served in student affairs leadership roles at Towson University, Western Illinois University and Defiance College. Nationally, he holds leadership positions in the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and other professional organizations and provides consulting as an external reviewer of student affairs divisions for national universities.
Some of Stansberry's most recent national recognitions include the NASPA Region III AVP/Senior Level Student Affairs Professional Award; the NASPA Region III Inclusion Award for Student Affairs Educators in Higher Education; and the Association of Public & Land-grant Universities (APLU) Dynamic Senior Student Affairs Officer Newcomer Award.
Stansberry earned a Ph.D. in higher education administration and an Ed.S. in educational leadership from Old Dominion University and a master's degree in college student personnel administration and a bachelor's in organizational communication from Ohio University.
