EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will welcome alumnus Timothy Staples, EdD, back to campus as director of its new Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion. Staples will assume his new role on Monday, July 16.
SIUE’s Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion will serve as a support and advocacy center for underrepresented students through programming, services, student retention initiatives and professional advocacy. The new center will raise awareness for the SIUE Community about student diversity issues through the coordination and implementation of events, workshops and training.
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Staples brings to SIUE more than 19 years of experience in secondary and higher education. Since 2015, he has served as director of campus life at South Carolina Governors School for Science and Mathematics where he oversaw student housing, orientation, student conduct and programming.
“The search committee identified three competitive candidates for this important position,” said SIUE Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jeffrey Waple, PhD. “Dr. Staples’ passion for and experience in higher education will help build a strong foundation off which our new Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion can flourish. We are committed to advancing our efforts in diversity and inclusion, and ensuring all students experience SIUE as a welcoming and supportive institution that is dedicated to helping them grow and develop both personally and academically.”
“I am honored to return to my alma mater to provide collaborative leadership in the establishment of this new center and program,” Staples said. “I look forward to working with students, faculty and staff as we advance student diversity and inclusion at SIUE.”
In 2007, Staples began his career in student affairs as a residence hall coordinator at Illinois State University. From 2008-12, he served as assistant director of residence life for diversity initiatives and student leadership development at Miami University. From 2012-15, he was assistant director for training and leadership development at American University in Washington, D.C.
Staples earned a bachelor’s in historical studies from the SIUE College of Arts and Sciences in 2000. He completed a master’s in educational leadership in 2003 and a doctorate in leadership and administration in 2017, both from Aurora University.
The successful candidate search was chaired by Kelly Jo Karnes, director of the Morris University Center and Kimmel Student Involvement Center. Committee members included Dr. Jessica Harris, Dr. Earleen Patterson, Dr. Kamran Shavezipur, Natalie Hawkins, Brian Hinterscher, Ivan Solis Cruz and Ramon DeShazer.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high quality, affordable education that prepares them for successful careers and lives of purpose to shape a changing world. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi River’s rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis, the SIUE campus is home to a diverse student body of nearly 14,000.
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