Darnell Parker

Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs Darnell T. Parker is responsible for overseeing the Student Affairs division. The Student Affairs Division includes: Residential Life, Student Activities, Involvement and Leadership (SAIL), Campus Safety, Counseling Center, Health Services, Sexual Misconduct and Assault Resource Team (SMART) Office, and Dean of Students Office. Students may come to the Dean of Students Office for a number of reasons. They might be seeking assistance with a difficult personal or academic situation, or like an objective point of view or perhaps mediation with other students or faculty.

Dr. Parker brings considerable expertise in all aspects of student affairs, diversity and equity, and Title IX compliance within higher education. He joined Wheaton from Case Western Reserve University, where he served as the Senior Associate Vice President for Equity after four years in the division of Student Affairs. In this newly created office and role, he oversaw the university’s efforts and initiatives to address and prevent discrimination and harassment, sustaining and effecting change.

Dr. Parker’s passion for the liberal arts has been a thread throughout his career. His dissertation explored diversity at liberal arts colleges, the impact of diversity on student learning in the liberal arts, and methods to improve campus climate on a college campus by creating campus dialogue and professional development opportunities. During his time at Washington College prior to Case Western Reserve, he developed and launched the Multicultural Affairs Office after measuring diversity initiatives at regional liberal arts colleges throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Darnell spent nine years at Washington working in residence life, multicultural affairs, student activities, and compliance roles within Student Affairs, including partnering on creating the Office of Wellness and Prevention Education.

Dr. Parker also served in residence life and multicultural affairs roles at Monmouth University and Syracuse University, respectively. During his time in higher education, he has taught courses in race and ethnic relations, race and gender, and communities of practice. His professional involvements include serving on the Maryland Higher Education Commission, the Washington Regional Taskforce Against Campus Prejudice, and as a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Dr. Parker holds a doctor of education degree from Widener University and both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work from Syracuse University.