Dear NKU campus community,
I am pleased to announce that Dr. Brandon L. Thompson will join NKU as our next vice president for Student Affairs on April 14, 2025. Dr. Thompson comes to us from the University of Kentucky where since 2021, he has served as associate dean of student engagement in the Office of the Dean of Students.
Dr. Thompson is excited to join our university and help us move forward in our student-centered and regionally engaged mission and vision. I am thrilled to have him on our team because of his commitment to serving students and ensuring they have the best possible experience while they pursue their educational dreams. Dr. Thompson is committed to building strong ties within Student Affairs, supporting our staff in their important work. He embraces excellence and is a team player whose voice on cabinet is critical for our students. In short, Dr. Thompson is the ideal person to serve as our next VPSA.
For nearly four years in his current role, Dr. Thompson has overseen a portfolio that includes staff in family and community engagement, fraternity and sorority life, religious and spiritual life, and several student organizations and activities. His accomplishments have included work to develop an international student organization travel policy, an annual Hazing Prevention Week for student organizations and the creation of the student success student advisory committee at UK.
Prior to his current role at UK, Dr. Thompson served as director of residence life and as assistant director for training and development at Eastern Kentucky University in its Office of Housing & Residence Life. In all, he has nearly 20 years’ experience working in student affairs at UK, EKU, Kansas State University, East Carolina University and Eastern Illinois University.
Dr. Thompson earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in communication and his Master of Arts in college student affairs at Eastern Illinois University, and he earned his Doctor of Education in educational leadership and policy studies at Eastern Kentucky University.
I am extremely grateful to our VPSA search committee chair, Dr. Valerie Hardcastle, and all our committee members. Many hours went into the process of finding our next VPSA, and I appreciate all their work. Of course, we could not have succeeded in this search without critical participation in open forums by the faculty and staff and your valuable feedback.
Please join me in welcoming Dr. Thompson to NKU and thank you for all you do each day to serve our students and our region.
Sincerely,
Diana McGill, Ph.D.
Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs
