The University of Houston Division of Student Affairs welcomes Dr. Kirsten Kennedy, associate vice chancellor/associate vice president for student affairs, who brings more than three decades of leadership experience advancing student success, residential education, and division-wide operations.
In her role, Dr. Kennedy will provide strategic oversight across key areas within the Division of Student Affairs, supporting initiatives that enhance the student experience, strengthen operational effectiveness, and advance student well-being. She will guide a broad portfolio of units and initiatives—including strategic planning and assessment, marketing and communications, information technology, and academic partnerships—ensuring cohesion and alignment across divisional priorities.
Dr. Kennedy joins the University of Houston from the University of South Carolina,
where she served as associate vice president for the residential experience. In that
role, she led a broad and complex portfolio that included University Housing, Student
Health Services, the Office of Sustainability, Student Conduct and Academic Integrity,
the Student Disability Resource Center, and divisional areas such as IT and Construction
and Renovation. She also advanced faculty-led living-learning communities, strengthening
the connection between academic and residential experiences.
Prior to her AVP role, Dr. Kennedy served as executive director of University Housing at the University of South Carolina. She also held progressive leadership positions in residential life at the University of Missouri–Columbia and Bloomsburg University. Throughout her career, she has remained focused on building student-centered environments that foster engagement, belonging, and success.
A recognized leader in the field, Dr. Kennedy has been actively engaged in national professional organizations. She has served on the Executive Board and the Educational and Research Foundation of the Association of College and University Housing Officers–International (ACUHO-I) and has contributed as faculty for entry-level, mid-level, and senior-level institutes. She has also served as faculty for the NASPA New Professionals Institute, supporting the development of emerging leaders in student affairs.
In addition to her administrative leadership, Dr. Kennedy is a respected scholar-practitioner. She has taught graduate-level student affairs courses at both the University of South Carolina and the University of Missouri. Her contributions to the field have been recognized with honors including the NASPA Faculty Council Award for Outstanding Contributions by a Scholar-Practitioner and ACPA’s Emerging Scholar Award.
Her research and publications focus on areas critical to student success, including residence life programming, faculty engagement in living-learning communities, faculty-in-residence work-life balance, and the intersection of student development theory and student wellness.
Dr. Kennedy holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Management and a Master of Business Administration from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Missouri–Columbia.
Dr. Kennedy brings a forward-thinking, research-informed approach to her work, grounded in a deep commitment to student success and the holistic student experience.