Paul J. McLoughlin II Named Dean of Students

Paul McLoughlin

Paul J. McLoughlin II, former associate dean of Harvard College and senior adviser to the dean of Harvard College, has been named Lafayette’s dean of students. The announcement was made today by Celestino Limas, vice president for campus life and senior diversity officer. The appointment is effective July 1.

“I am delighted that Paul McLoughlin will join Lafayette as dean of students, an important advocate for students and a vital member of the Division of Campus Life and the College as a whole,” Limas said. “Paul has proven himself to be an exceptional partner with students, faculty, and administrative colleagues and an able leader in launching academic and student affairs initiatives, managing projects, supervising staff, capital planning, and other areas of responsibility.”

Reporting to Limas and serving as a member of President Daniel H. Weiss’ senior staff, McLoughlin will oversee several facets of the campus life division, including recreation services, residence life, student development, and student life programs. “He also will collaborate with other members of the division, the faculty, and the College to create rich learning opportunities that integrate academic experiences with life outside the classroom,” Limas said.

McLoughlin brings more than 15 years of diverse experience in higher education and student affairs administration in positions of increasing scope and influence at both public and private residential colleges and universities. As associate dean of Harvard College and senior adviser to the dean of Harvard College from 2008 to 2011, he oversaw the development, implementation, and assessment of a variety of academic and student affairs initiatives and served as the dean’s primary liaison with university and community constituents in helping to further the College’s strategic plan.

McLoughlin, did his undergraduate work at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, earned a master of education degree from the University of Vermont, and completed his Ph.D. in higher education administration at Boston College last year. He is teaching graduate-level courses to master’s and doctoral students as an adjunct faculty member in BC’s Lynch School of Education.

As the recipient of a Paul P. Fidler Grant from the University of South Carolina’s National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, McLoughlin also is working on turning his dissertation research into a book. His dissertation is entitled Full Financial Aid in the Ivy League: How High-Achieving, Low-Income Undergraduates Negotiate the Elite College Environment.

McLoughlin was assistant dean of Harvard College for student life and activities from 2003 to 2008. From 2003 to 2006 he also served as an academic adviser and counselor for a co-educational, first-year residence hall of 120 undergraduates. His first position at Harvard was in the university’s Office of Career Services as assistant director for health and medical careers counseling from 2001 to 2003.

He also held student affairs and teaching positions at the University of Vermont (1997 to 1999) and the University of Florida (1999 to 2001). His M.Ed. from Vermont is in higher education and student affairs administration. At Miami, he majored in zoology with a secondary concentration in neuroscience. He also completed non-degree coursework in the economics of higher education, qualitative research, and education policy at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education.

A member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), American College Personnel Association, and Association for the Study of Higher Education, McLoughlin has made presentations at gatherings of these organizations and others.

In addition to the Fidler Grant, he is the recipient of a NASPA Foundation Grant; the Salve Dignatate Award, presented by the University of Vermont to an alumnus/a who has made significant contributions to student affairs and who has exhibited “grace under pressure”; and the University of Florida’s Award for Excellence in Education and Teaching.