Dean of Student applicants at a glance

Students can look at cover letters and curriculum vitae of the applicants at www.drake.edu/secured/dean-of-students/

Dr. Brandon Barile-Swain Dr. Khalilah T. Doss

Dr. Khalilah Doss was the first to present in Sussman Theater. She currently serves as the assistant dean of students at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO. Doss received her doctorate from Southern Illinois University.

Dr. Doss opened up her presentation by explaining that it took her five years to finish undergrad at McKendree University. She said that she likes to be upfront with her students because they can connect with her story.

Dr. Doss said she prides herself in supporting, educating, advocating and leading her students.

“If you want to be a change agent, you have to do the work,” Dr. Doss said.

Dr. Doss’s presentation also focused on how different lenses can affect how a student looks at Drake. In her presentation, she compared students to the film Monsters University, realizing that every student looks different when they come to college.

She ended her presentation by talking about advocacy and diversity.

“Being an advocate is a verb,” Dr. Doss said. “You can’t just sit there and say, ‘Hey I’m an advocate.’”

Dr. Brandon Barile-Swain is currently an Assistant Dean of Students at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He received his doctorate from Northeastern University where he focused on leadership and how gender expectations play a role in that. Dr. Barile-Swain said he strives to make sure that administration understands and empathizes with the needs of students.

According to Dr. Barile-Swain’s website, teaching personal empowerment is one of the best parts of his job. He helps students develop “self awareness and self management skills based on developing emotional intelligence.”

Dr. Barile-Swain stated that he would want to amplify voices of those who feel they are not heard. According to Dr. Barile-Swain, he would listen to students regardless of their political stances.

Being an active listener is something that Dr. BarileSwain said he strives to do. In order to make a decision he said he would want to understand and coordinate with others, in order to see the whole picture.

Dr. Barile-Swain said if he were hired he would want to make efforts to connect with students in Olmsted and to walk around campus in order to get to know students.

Dr. Jerry Parker

Dr. Jerry Parke is currently Drake’s Interim Dean of Students. He received his B.A. and M.A. from Texas State University. He completed his Ph.D. at Texas A&M University. His presentation focused on civic professionalism and how it can be incorporated more at Drake.

He said the campus needs to work together with the community and that people need to have discussions with each other in order to better understand one another.

A problem that Parker said he sees on campus is the lack of respect and conversations between those who are different. A way that he said to combat this is to promote students talking to those who are different than them.

Parker also stated that he encourages students interacting with the community in order to enrich student education.

Parker said the transition from having one person handling the Dean of Students role instead of having both an Associate Dean and a Dean may be beneficial. Parker stated that this can help ensure that both the day to day and long term goals are carried out more.