For many students, the title \u201cDean of Students\u201d can feel a little intimidating. It sounds serious, official and maybe even like you are about to get in trouble. But Dean Dixon wishes that students understood that \u201cwe are not the principal\u2019s office.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sheriah N. Dixon G ’12 serves as the Associate Vice President and Dean of Students at Syracuse University, a role she stepped into in November 2022. She brings more than 15 years of experience in higher education, with a background in student conduct, Title IX, equal opportunity and residence life. Her role is centered on helping students navigate college, something she understands firsthand. Dean Dixon completed her graduate degree at Syracuse University while working as an assistant residence director, balancing academics and student life at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cComing back [to campus] in this role has been very fulfilling,\u201d she said. \u201cIt means a lot to me to be able to support students in a way that I was supported.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, her day-to-day reflects just how wide that support can be. Between meetings, campus events and planning for future semesters, much of her time is spent connecting directly with students. Whether it\u2019s through a scheduled appointment or a quick email<\/a>, Dean Dixon makes it clear that reaching out is always an option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And if you\u2019d rather meet her in a more casual setting, she\u2019s probably already planning something for it! Throughout the semester, Dean Dixon hosts a range of student-centered events<\/a> designed to make connecting easier. From \u201cDonuts with Dean Dixon,\u201d to lunchtime chats in dining centers, to study breaks during finals season, she has all the bases covered. There\u2019s even a semester-long selfie challenge that keeps things fun, interactive and gets students a prize!<\/p>\n\n\n\n This accessibility is intentional. Rather than expecting students to know exactly where to go, Dean Dixon describes the Dean of Students team as a starting point. \u201cI like to say we are a one-stop shop,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Dean of Students oversees several areas that shape student life, including Student Outreach and Support<\/a>, Community Standards<\/a> and Student Title IX Case Management<\/a>. In practice, that often means helping students navigate situations that are not always straightforward, from communicating with professors to understanding University processes, or even navigating emergencies they experience on campus or at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou do not know what you need until something happens,\u201d Dean Dixon said, \u201cand we are here to help you find that answer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dixon emphasizes that reaching out is an important first step. Students are navigating financial aid, searching for internships and trying to plan what comes next. Her role often involves helping students connect to the right resources across campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For students who feel unsure about asking for help, Dixon keeps it simple. \u201cClosed mouths do not get fed,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is a mindset she comes back to often, especially when things do not go as planned. College is full of moments that don\u2019t always go as planned (something we can all<\/em> relate to), but she encourages students to focus on what comes next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt is OK to make mistakes,\u201d she said. \u201cIt is about how you reflect.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n And while a lot of her work centers on helping students through challenges, the moments that stand out most are \u201cwatching students do the things that they love, seeing that joy and excitement,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So no, the Dean\u2019s suite is not what you think. If there\u2019s one thing you remember, the Dean of Students is not someone you get sent to, but instead someone you go to for a helping hand!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Written By Julia Seitz G\u201926, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For many students, the title \u201cDean of Students\u201d can feel a little intimidating. It sounds serious, official and maybe even like you are about to get in trouble. But Dean Dixon wishes that students understood that \u201cwe are not the principal\u2019s office.\u201d Sheriah N. Dixon G ’12 serves as the Associate Vice President and Dean…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":367,"featured_media":6242,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[107,591,12],"class_list":["post-6240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-campus-life","tag-be-involved","tag-dean-of-students","tag-events"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6240","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/367"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6240"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6240\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6243,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6240\/revisions\/6243"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6242"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6240"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}