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

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.

The new positions are the result of a multi-level reorganization designed to streamline
processes within the student affairs department. In these new roles, the vice presidents
are responsible for leading districtwide functional areas, as well as serving as the
chief student affairs officer at their respective campus.

“Each vice president brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the department
and 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 better
serve our students and move STLCC forward.”

Florissant Valley

Julie Massey, M.A., joined the College in June 2004 and served in several roles before advancing to
her current position as vice president of student success and chief student affairs
officer at STLCC-Florissant Valley.

In this role, Massey is responsible for academic advising, access disability services
and career development. She has more than 17 years of experience in higher education
and has held titles including academic advisor, manager of academic advising, manager
of student success initiatives, and interim director of academic advising and student
success.

Massey earned a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy analysis with
an emphasis in student affairs from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a bachelor’s
degree in psychology from Truman State University.

A graduate of Hazelwood East High School, Massey has a passion for the College and
its mission of empowering students, expanding minds and changing lives.

“There is nothing better I can think of doing than paying it forward to the students
we serve at STLCC," Massey said. "This coming year, I’ve made it a goal to wrap my
arms around the Florissant Valley campus and make sure our students are cared for
and successful in their journey with us.”

In addition to her work at STLCC, Massey enjoys spending time with her three daughters.

Forest Park

Boyd Copeland, M.S., started with St. Louis Community College-Forest Park as vice president for multicultural
student services in June. He’s charged with oversight for all student affairs operations
at the Forest Park campus, along with districtwide functions related to multicultural
services such as TRIO grants (student support services and Upward Bound), international
student services, Harrison Center, Black Male Achievers Academy, and other student
diversity initiatives.

Prior to joining STLCC, Copeland served Jefferson College as the community college’s
director of student compliance and Title IX coordinator. He held several positions
over 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 career
at Chattanooga State Technical Community College.

"As a first-generation college graduate who understands the value of education, I
believe a community college education is the centerpiece for transforming post-secondary
education in the 21st century," Copeland said.

Copeland received a master’s degree from Austin Peay State University in sports administration
and a bachelor's degree from Georgia State University in exercise science. He’s currently
pursuing a doctorate from Saint Louis University in higher education administration,
with plans to complete the program next year. His scholar-practitioner work centers
around student success, funding in higher education, student conduct, and diversity/inclusion
within the community college.

Apart from working at STLCC, Copeland officiates college basketball throughout the
Midwest at the NCAA Division I, II, and III levels and community colleges in Missouri
and Illinois.

Meramec

April 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 engagement
department focused on providing students with the best co-curricular experiences.

Johnson brings 17 years of higher education experience with her, having worked with
non-traditional, traditional and first-generation students in public and private four-year
universities, historically black colleges and universities, and community colleges.
Most recently she served as assistant vice president for student affairs at Bowie
State University.

“My first goal is to develop a solid, cohesive team by empowering them, valuing their
knowledge and expertise, helping them to understand the connection between their roles
and the goals of the institution, and creating a caring and supportive environment
for them to do their best work,” Johnson said.

Johnson will also focus on building a robust mentoring program, establishing a top-notch
first-year experience program, revamping the new student orientation program, and
establish consistency in how all campuses engage with and provide student activities
for STLCC students.

“We, as an institution, need to ensure that students are socially integrated into
the fabric of our community by providing stronger support systems, opportunities for
social 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, and
her doctorate in education from Wilmington University.

She and her daughter recently moved to St. Louis from the Baltimore area. She describes
herself as a quiet, low-key introvert.

Wildwood

Keith Robinder, Ph.D., vice president for student support, serves as the chief student affairs officer
for the Wildwood campus. He also provides districtwide leadership for the counseling
department, 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 for
student affairs at Iowa State University. Earlier in his career, he served as the
director of student life and community engagement at Laramie County Community College.
Over the years, he has taught undergraduate and graduate courses focused on student
success, leadership, student development, and program assessment and evaluation.

“I have a vocational calling to educate students; assisting them inside and outside
the classroom to learn the knowledge and skills they need to be successful, both during
and after college," Robinder said. "I went into student affairs because I had a great
experience in college as a student and student leader, and I strongly believe in the
power of helping people discover their potential.”

Robinder earned both a doctorate in community college leadership and a master’s degree
in student affairs and higher education from Colorado State University. He began his
educational career at the University of Denver, where he earned a bachelor’s degree
in business administration with a focus on hotel and restaurant management.

He and his wife, Wendy, have two children. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time
with 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.