Susan M. Davis will be the next vice president for student affairs, Northwestern announced Thursday.

Davis currently oversees student wellness, safety and support as senior associate vice president for student affairs at the University of Virginia. She will join NU on April 1, succeeding Julie Payne-Kirchmeier, who departed the role of vice president for student affairs last summer. Patricia Lampkin will continue as interim vice president for student affairs through March.

“I am thrilled to welcome Susan as our next vice president for Student Affairs, a role that is vital to our University community,” President Michael Schill said in a University press release. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role and is a compassionate leader who has demonstrated the ability to elevate the student experience.”

A search committee of Northwestern students, faculty and staff selected Davis. Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education Miriam Gamoran Sherin and Kelly Mayo, dean of The Graduate School and associate provost for graduate education, chaired the committee.

In the press release, Mayo and Sherin both said they believe Davis will enhance undergraduate student experiences.

“I have long admired Northwestern for its commitment to interdisciplinary study, ground-breaking research and strong sense of community,” Davis said in the release. “I see in Northwestern a place where the leadership team is committed to important values in student affairs that deeply resonate with me: diversity, equity and inclusion, student engagement and belonging, health and wellness and team development.”

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