Student Deans

Every Swarthmore student has an assigned student dean. Your dean's name is listed in the Degree Audit section of mySwarthmore. 

Why might a student reach out to a student dean?

  • you are trying to find balance between your academics and your other responsibilities
  • you are looking for mentors here or beyond
  • you are having a serious medical problem and are trying to figure out how to approach your academics
  • you are figuring out how to navigate Swarthmore and your various communities (home, service, identity, adoptive, global)
  • you are experiencing personal challenges that are affecting your academics
  • you are considering taking a semester away from Swarthmore
  • you had something really wonderful happen and want to share the joy

The student dean model at Swarthmore

I. First-year students
  • international students are assigned to Dean Jennifer Marks-Gold, Assistant Dean and Director of International Student Programs
  • all other students are assigned to Dean Karen Henry, Dean of First Year Students
II. Beyond the first year
  • international students stay with Dean Jennifer Marks-Gold
  • other students are reassigned to Student Deans Liz Derickson, Rachel Head, Karima Bouchenafa, Nathan Miller, or Michelle Ray, who will remain their dean through the remainder of their time at Swarthmore 
  • incoming transfer students are assigned to Dean Liz Derickson

Dean Nathan Miller functions as a coordinator for Student Deans. Dean change requests can be made by emailing Dean Miller.

Student Deans

Karima Bouchenafa

Assistant Dean & Director, Black Cultural Center

Student Affairs

Contact

  1. Phone: (610) 328-8455
  2. Black Cultural Center (Robinson House)
Karima Bouchenafa

Liz Derickson

(she-her-hers-herself)

Associate Dean, Academic Success

Student Affairs

Contact

  1. Phone: (610) 328-8475
  2. Parrish Hall 109

Links

  1. Profile
photograph of Dean Liz Derickson smiling and standing outside of Parrish Hall

Rachel Head

Associate Dean & Director, Student Engagement

Student Affairs

Contact

  1. Phone: (610) 328-8362
  2. Sharples Commons 170

Links

  1. Profile
Photo of Rachel Head

Karen Henry ’87

Dean of First Year Students

Student Affairs

Contact

  1. Phone: (610) 328-8169
  2. Parrish Hall 130
  1. Profile
Karen Henry

Eric Jensen

Walter Kemp Professor in the Natural Sciences

Dean of Academic Success

Student Affairs

Physics & Astronomy-Astronomy

Contact

  1. Phone: (610) 328-8249
  2. Parrish Hall E108

Links

  1. Profile
  2. Website

Research interests: Extrasolar planets and planet formation, particularly in binary star systems.

Photo of Eric Jensen

Erin Kaplan

Associate Dean & Director, Student Conduct

Student Conduct

Student Deans

Office of Student Engagement (OSE)

Contact

  1. Phone: (610) 957-6275
  2. Parrish Hall W105

Links

  1. Profile
Photograph of Erin Kaplan

Jennifer Marks-Gold

Assistant Dean & Director of International Student Programs

Student Affairs

Contact

  1. Phone: (610) 328-8361
  2. Hormel-Nguyen Intercultural Center 110

Links

  1. Profile
Jennifer Marks Gold

Nathan Miller

Senior Associate Dean, Student Life

Student Affairs

Contact

  1. Phone: (610) 328-8354
  2. Parrish Hall 108

Links

  1. Profile
nathan miller

Michelle Ray

Associate Dean & Director, Case Management

Student Affairs

Contact

  1. Phone: (610) 690-5299
  2. Parrish Hall 116

Links

  1. Profile
Michelle Ray

Tiffany Thompson

(she-her-hers-herself)

Associate Dean, Inclusive Excellence

Student Affairs

Contact

  1. Phone: (610) 690-5767
  2. Parrish Hall 140

Links

  1. Profile

Reach out to Tiffany Thompson for needs related to:

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Trainings and Workshops
  • Advocacy
Photo of Tiffany Thompson