Carley Crain
@carley_crain12
Springfield College is welcoming Dr. Slandie Dieujuste to the Springfield College community as the new Vice President of Student Affairs.
Dieujuste will work closely with President Mary-Beth Cooper and her leadership team and will be focusing on “fostering a sense of inclusion and engagement in a diverse and vibrant community. Working with students, faculty, and staff, she will be responsible for developing a comprehensive co-curricular vision for life on campus,” according to a mass email Cooper sent out.
After a competitive nationwide search, Dieujuste was deemed the most qualified for the position and will start working July 1. She has held the position of Vice Provost for Student Affairs/Dean of Students at Massasoit Community College since 2018, as well as previously working at Illinois Institute of Technology, Governors State University, Jackson College, Saint Mary’s College and Northeastern University.
She was most recently awarded the Marguerite Donovan 2021 Award at the Massasoit Community College Employee Recognition Ceremony. This award recognizes an individual who is a member of the “administration, faculty, or staff who has demonstrated a commitment to the academic, emotional, and social development of students.”
Dieujuste was born in Haiti and eventually moved to Boston, Mass. Living in such a large city exposed her to numerous social issues and made her become more aware of how race, class and gender affect overall quality of life in American society. Growing up in Boston she experienced injustices in the education system, as the overall system favors higher income areas.
During her sophomore year of college, Dieujuste was a Resident Assistant (RA), which sparked an interest in creating a career centered around improving the overall well-being of college students. Going into college Dieujuste was set on becoming a lawyer, but she quickly realized the passion she has for helping to develop students into strong leaders.
She graduated from Boston College with her M.A and B.A., as well as receiving her PhD from Andrews University in higher education administration. She has now been in the field of higher education administration for over seventeen years and will bring all of her expertise to Springfield College.
“The students are amazing at Springfield,” said Dieujuste. “They are very intelligent and vocal, but passionate about people and I can’t wait to get to campus. I already feel like I belong in the community.”
Dieujuste was drawn to Springfield for its small, tight-knit community. She felt like she instantly connected with the school as a whole, and is excited to start building relationships with students on campus, as well as helping to elevate their voices. The school’s commitment to the Humanics philosophy and to social justice really stuck with her and became a driving factor in her decision to come to Springfield.
“The idea of focusing on holistic student development is something I have always valued. Not only that, but also understanding the importance of preparing students to be leaders and to serve others, which has always been something close to my heart based on what I have done throughout my career,” said Dieujuste. “I was so excited when I saw the position open, especially at Springfield because it is such a small, close knit community where the student voice is valued greatly.”
Dr. Slandie Dieujuste is committed to student development on campus and will help foster an inclusive and welcoming environment on Alden Street.
Photo Courtesy Office of Marketing & Communications