BLOOMINGTON – Lamar Hylton has been named vice provost for student life at IU Bloomington, effective Sept. 5.
As vice provost, Hylton will lead the Office of Student Life, a new organizational structure developed in alignment with the IU Bloomington 2030 strategic plan and dedicated to improving the experience of all students on the Bloomington campus: undergraduate, graduate, and professional.
“Lamar is a proven leader with a track record for putting students first,” IU President Pamela Whitten said. “With his breadth of experience, he will provide crucial leadership to the reimagined Office of Student Life and ensure that we drive progress against our ambitious IU 2030 goals for student success and opportunity.”
With 16 years of experience coordinating and leading teams across student life, Hylton has shaped multiple programs and initiatives that drive engagement in curricular and co-curricular activities, as well as several efforts that recruit and retain underrepresented students.
“As our campus works toward the ambitious goals of IUB 2030, I have every confidence Lamar will catalyze new collaborations and adeptly balance the speed and sustainability needed to achieve and build upon our aspirations,” added Rahul Shrivastav, executive vice president and IU Bloomington provost. “His record of advancing student success and inclusion and building meaningful relationships is clear, and I am eager for his leadership in student life at IU Bloomington.”
In his most recent role as senior vice president for student affairs, Hylton led a reorganization of Kent State’s Division of Student Affairs into thematic areas. He developed the CARES Center — Crisis, Advocacy, Resources, Education and Support — to meet student needs; and he significantly expanded funding for and access to mental health services. He also undertook efforts to enhance alumni engagement and support the professional development of entry- and mid-level student affairs staff.
Under his leadership, Kent State was recognized for three consecutive years as one of the “Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs” by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education and the American College Personnel Association-College Student Educators International.
Hylton has also taught Kent State graduate courses and served as co-chair of the university’s Anti-Racism Task Force, Task Force on the Fraternity and Sorority Experience, Campus Climate Advisory Network and Response Team, and several other student affairs groups.
“I am both humbled and honored to be named the inaugural vice provost for student life at Indiana University Bloomington,” Hylton said. “As I have gotten to know more about this institution, it is clear that student success isn’t just a buzzword or catchphrase, but is an outcome that is deeply meaningful for the entire institution. I look forward to partnering with the amazing students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and community members of IU Bloomington to elevate the Hoosier student experience.”
The Office of Student Life at IU Bloomington is composed of 21 intentionally connected departments that both direct and support the academic and co-curricular needs of students at IU Bloomington. These departments are organized into three units: Health and Well-Being, Student Care and Advocacy, and Involvement and Belonging.
The vice provost for student life:
- Assists in creating a campus culture that promotes the academic achievement and personal development of all undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.
- Cultivates an equitable, inclusive living and learning environment.
- Advocates on behalf of students.
- Assists with institutional initiatives and crisis response.
- Maintains positive and productive relationships with alumni and donors.
- Fosters collaborative relationships among students, faculty, and staff.
Hylton earned a Master of Education in college student personnel from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. His dissertation was titled, “The Impact of Student-Faculty Interaction on Academic Achievement and College Satisfaction for Black Males Attending Predominately White Institutions.”
After earning his master’s degree in 2007, Hylton began leading student-facing teams at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. He has also cultivated student success at the University of North Carolina Asheville, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, and, most recently, Kent State.
A nationally recognized leader in student affairs, Hylton is engaged with multiple professional associations aimed at shaping the future of higher education. This includes serving as the current chair of the Council on Student Affairs for the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and as the regional director for the IV-East region of NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. In 2022, Hylton was named an American College Personnel Association Diamond Honoree and a NASPA Pillar of the Profession.
Information: Emily Miles, Office of the Vice Provost, News at IU.
