Student Affairs
December 3, 2024
After a months-long national search, President Dr. Robert D. Kelly has named Dr. Alvin A. Sturdivant as the University of Portland’s inaugural Vice President for Student Affairs & Inclusive Excellence.
Dr. Sturdivant, who currently serves as Vice Provost for Student & Campus Life at Seattle University, will begin his tenure on The Bluff on February 1. In addition to joining the President’s Leadership Cabinet and assuming responsibility for UP’s existing Division of Student Affairs, Dr. Sturdivant will lead campus initiatives relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging.
“Throughout the search process, Dr. Sturdivant stood out due to his deep commitment to Catholic higher education, his proven track record of providing visionary student affairs and inclusive excellence leadership, his ability to motivate and inspire teams, and his warmth, kindness, and compassion,” President Kelly wrote in a campus-wide announcement. “He has articulated a bold vision for student affairs and inclusive excellence at UP that is rooted in our Catholic, Holy Cross identity, and I cannot wait for his tenure on The Bluff to commence.”
Since 2017, Dr. Sturdivant has served as Seattle University's senior student affairs officer and as a member of the institution's leadership team. He has provided vision and strategic direction for Seattle University's Student & Campus Life initiatives, and has also overseen the work of the institution’s MOSAIC (Meaningful Opportunity for Student Access, Inclusion & Community) Center, which fosters intercultural learning, cultivates belonging, and provides mentorship and leadership development for all students, especially those from historically underrepresented and minoritized backgrounds.
"Joining the University of Portland as Vice President for Student Affairs & Inclusive Excellence is a tremendous blessing and honor, both personally and professionally,” Dr. Sturdivant said. “I have long admired UP and its distinctively Holy Cross commitment to educating the hands, hearts, and minds of students. My experience throughout the search process affirmed what I had already known to be true; namely, that UP possesses the mission, vision, momentum, and team necessary to have a transformational impact on the lives of students and the world.”
Dr. Sturdivant first joined Seattle University in 2010 as Assistant Vice President for Student Development. In 2013, he was promoted to Associate Vice President for Student Development, a role he held until his 2017 appointment as Vice Provost. Previously, he served as Director of Housing & Residence Life at Saint Louis University, Associate Director of Residential Life for Education and Coordinator of Practicum Internships at the University of Vermont, and in student affairs and diversity education roles at Syracuse University and North Carolina State University.
He has taught courses in higher education administration, student affairs, and race & ethnicity at Seattle University, Vermont, Syracuse, and NC State. In 2025, Dr. Sturdivant will be recognized as a "Pillar of the Profession" by the National Association of Student Professional Administrators (NASPA) Foundation. A native of North Carolina, Dr. Sturdivant earned his B.A. in Psychology and his M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from NC State, and his Ed.D. from Vermont.
“I wish to thank President Kelly and the Pilot community for entrusting me with this inaugural role,” Dr. Sturdivant said. “I look forward to collaborating with Holy Cross religious and lay colleagues and I cannot wait to begin serving our students on The Bluff."
In his announcement to the campus community, President Kelly thanked Father John Donato, CSC, for his service as Vice President for Student Affairs. Over the summer, Dr. Kelly appointed Fr. Donato to serve as Special Assistant to the President for Mission. Fr. Donato will transition to this new role upon Dr. Sturdivant’s arrival on campus.
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