St. Louis Community College: Meet STLCC's New Vice Presidents For Student Affairs

Creve Coeur MO

05 August, 2021

7:43 AM

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Press release from St. Louis Community College: August 4, 2021 Fueled by a desire to enhance the student experience, St. Louis Community College recently welcomed the addition of four vice presidents to the College. Fueled by a desire to enhance the student experience, St. Louis Community College recently welcomed the addition of four vice presidents to the College.The new positions are the result of a multi-level reorganization designed to streamlineprocesses within the student affairs department. In these new roles, the vice presidentsare responsible for leading districtwide functional areas, as well as serving as thechief student affairs officer at their respective campus. "Each vice president brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the departmentand the College," said Christine Davis, Ed.D., vice chancellor for student affairs."We welcome their leadership, and we look forward to leveraging their talents to betterserve our students and move STLCC forward." Florissant ValleyJule Massey, M.A., joined the College in June 2004 and served in several roles before advancing toher current position as vice president of student success and chief student affairsofficer at STLCC-Florissant Valley. In this role, Massey is responsible for academic advising, access disability servicesand career development. She has more than 17 years of experience in higher educationand has held titles including academic advisor, manager of academic advising, managerof student success initiatives, and interim director of academic advising and studentsuccess. Massey earned a master's degree in educational leadership and policy analysis withan emphasis in student affairs from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a bachelor'sdegree in psychology from Truman State University. A graduate of Hazelwood East High School, Massey has a passion for the College andits mission of empowering students, expanding minds and changing lives. "There is nothing better I can think of doing than paying it forward to the studentswe serve at STLCC," Massey said. "This coming year, I've made it a goal to wrap myarms around the Florissant Valley campus and make sure our students are cared forand successful in their journey with us." In addition to her work at STLCC, Massey enjoys spending time with her three daughters. Forest ParkBoyd Copeland, M.S., started with St. Louis Community College-Forest Park as vice president for multiculturalstudent services in June. He's charged with oversight for all student affairs operationsat the Forest Park campus, along with districtwide functions related to multiculturalservices such as TRIO grants (student support services and Upward Bound), internationalstudent services, Harrison Center, Black Male Achievers Academy, and other studentdiversity initiatives. Prior to joining STLCC, Copeland served Jefferson College as the community college'sdirector of student compliance and Title IX coordinator. He held several positionsover five years at St. Charles Community College before moving to Jefferson College,including his final position as executive dean of student life. He began his careerat Chattanooga State Technical Community College. "As a first-generation college graduate who understands the value of education, Ibelieve a community college education is the centerpiece for transforming post-secondaryeducation in the 21st century," Copeland said. Copeland received a master's degree from Austin Peay State University in sports administrationand a bachelor's degree from Georgia State University in exercise science. He's currentlypursuing a doctorate from Saint Louis University in higher education administration,with plans to complete the program next year. His scholar-practitioner work centersaround student success, funding in higher education, student conduct, and diversity/inclusionwithin the community college. Apart from working at STLCC, Copeland officiates college basketball throughout theMidwest at the NCAA Division I, II, and III levels and community colleges in Missouriand Illinois. MeramecApril Johnson, Ph.D., joined STLCC as the new vice president for student engagement on the Meramec Campus.In this role, she's charged with developing a comprehensive districtwide student engagementdepartment focused on providing students with the best co-curricular experiences. Johnson brings 17 years of higher education experience with her, having worked withnon-traditional, traditional and first-generation students in public and private four-yearuniversities, historically black colleges and universities, and community colleges.Most recently she served as assistant vice president for student affairs at BowieState University. "My first goal is to develop a solid, cohesive team by empowering them, valuing theirknowledge and expertise, helping them to understand the connection between their rolesand the goals of the institution, and creating a caring and supportive environmentfor them to do their best work," Johnson said. Johnson will also focus on building a robust mentoring program, establishing a top-notchfirst-year experience program, revamping the new student orientation program, andestablish consistency in how all campuses engage with and provide student activitiesfor STLCC students. "We, as an institution, need to ensure that students are socially integrated intothe fabric of our community by providing stronger support systems, opportunities forsocial involvement, and for building peer relationships," she said. Johnson received her bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland-Baltimore County,her master's and educational specialist degrees from Florida State University, andher doctorate in education from Wilmington University. She and her daughter recently moved to St. Louis from the Baltimore area. She describesherself as a quiet, low-key introvert. WildwoodKeith Robinder, Ph.D., vice president for student support, serves as the chief student affairs officerfor the Wildwood campus. He also provides districtwide leadership for the counselingdepartment, student assistance program and childcare resource and referral program. Robinder joined STLCC in 2019 as the vice president for student affairs at STLCC-Meramec.Before that, he worked for 10 years as an assistant, associate and interim dean forstudent affairs at Iowa State University. Earlier in his career, he served as thedirector of student life and community engagement at Laramie County Community College.Over the years, he has taught undergraduate and graduate courses focused on studentsuccess, leadership, student development, and program assessment and evaluation. "I have a vocational calling to educate students; assisting them inside and outsidethe classroom to learn the knowledge and skills they need to be successful, both duringand after college," Robinder said. "I went into student affairs because I had a greatexperience in college as a student and student leader, and I strongly believe in thepower of helping people discover their potential." Robinder earned both a doctorate in community college leadership and a master's degreein student affairs and higher education from Colorado State University. He began hiseducational career at the University of Denver, where he earned a bachelor's degreein business administration with a focus on hotel and restaurant management. He and his wife, Wendy, have two children. Outside of work, he enjoys spending timewith his family, exploring nature, baking gluten-free foods, and traveling. This press release was produced by St. Louis Community College. The views expressed here are the author's own.