Auburn University names Wilson assistant vice president for access and inclusive excellence

Article body

Following a national search, Ada K. Wilson has been named assistant vice president for access and inclusive excellence in the Office of Inclusion and Diversity at Auburn University.

Wilson, who began at Auburn May 31, came from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she had served as director of inclusive student excellence within the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs since 2012. Reporting to Auburn's associate provost and vice president for inclusion and diversity, Taffye Benson Clayton, Wilson will provide leadership to prospective and current student outreach programs in the Office of Inclusion and Diversity, and will develop an academic success management model for diverse students that emphasizes underrepresented minority and first-generation students.

"As Auburn continues to foster a more inclusive campus environment, it is imperative that the Office of Inclusion and Diversity continue to develop distinctive programs that are intellectually and socially enriching," said Clayton. "Ada Wilson is an energetic thought leader who brings a wealth of experience to our campus. I am confident she will work collaboratively with our academic and administrative units to help build Auburn's inclusion and diversity initiatives into a national model."

As assistant vice president, Wilson will oversee the development of innovative programs designed to help recruit and retain underrepresented students, and will work with the Office of Inclusion and Diversity's leadership team to help implement the recommendations from the university's 2016 campus climate study. In addition, Wilson will collaborate with campus partners to foster professional development efforts and student mentoring opportunities while also advancing the university's dialogue surrounding issues of inclusion and diversity.

"Joining the vibrant and dynamic culture of Auburn University is exciting, and I look forward to forging meaningful and authentic relationships with students, faculty, staff and alumni," Wilson said. "My hope is to continue promoting inclusive excellence at Auburn by cultivating experiences that affirm and empower the multiple and intersecting identities of all students."

At Chapel Hill, Wilson administered recruitment programs for prospective middle and high school students and developed access programs designed to provide high-impact educational opportunities for underrepresented students. In addition, she initiated strategic opportunities for student engagement and development as part of the university's College to Corporate program and Cultural Competence Leadership Institute.

Wilson's areas of expertise include cultural competence, implicit bias, program design and curriculum development for high-impact, co-curricular activities and engaged community building. Prior to serving as director of inclusive student excellence, Wilson worked as a program coordinator in the Gillings School of Global Public Health and as the interim coordinator for recruitment and outreach programs in the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs.

Wilson earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication in 2006 and a Juris Doctorate in 2009, both from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to working in higher education, Wilson served as an associate with Williams Mullen Law Firm in Raleigh, North Carolina, and as a Legal Consultant with Huron Consulting.

Related Media

Auburn University is a nationally ranked land grant institution recognized for its commitment to world-class scholarship, interdisciplinary research with an elite, top-tier Carnegie R1 classification, life-changing outreach with Carnegie’s Community Engagement designation and an undergraduate education experience second to none. Auburn is home to more than 30,000 students, and its faculty and research partners collaborate to develop and deliver meaningful scholarship, science and technology-based advancements that meet pressing regional, national and global needs. Auburn’s commitment to active student engagement, professional success and public/private partnership drives a growing reputation for outreach and extension that delivers broad economic, health and societal impact.