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 Tiffany Thompson, Senior Associate Dean of Inclusive Excellence & Community Development
  • all other students are assigned to Dean Karen Henry, Dean of First Year Students
II. Beyond the first year
  • all students (including international students) are reassigned to Student Deans: Karima Bouchenafa, Liz Derickson, Rachel Head, Erin Kaplan, Wade Manora, Nate Miller, Michelle Ray, or Tiffany Thompson, who will remain their dean through the remainder of their time at Swarthmore
  • incoming transfer students are assigned to Dean Liz Derickson

Dean Nate 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. Dining & Community Commons 170

Links

  1. Profile
Picture of Rachel

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

(she-her-hers-herself)

Associate Dean & Director, Student Conduct

Student Conduct

Student Deans

Office of Student Engagement (OSE)

Contact

  1. Phone: (610) 957-6275
  2. Parrish Hall E122

Links

  1. Profile
Photograph of Erin Kaplan

Wade Manora Jr.

Assistant Dean & Director, Intercultural Center

Intercultural Center

Contact

  1. Phone: (610) 328-7897
  2. Hormel-Nguyen Intercultural Center 113

Links

  1. Profile
Dr. Wade Manora, Jr.

Nate Miller

Senior Associate Dean, Student Life

Student Affairs

Student Deans

Office of Student Engagement (OSE)

Student Conduct

Contact

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

Links

  1. Profile
nathan miller

Michelle Ray

(she-her-hers-herself)

Associate Dean & Director, Case Management

Student Affairs

Contact

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

Links

  1. Profile
Michelle D. Ray

Tiffany Thompson

(she-her-hers-herself)

Senior Associate Dean, Inclusive Excellence & Community Development

Student Affairs

Contact

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

Links

  1. Profile
Tiffany smiling wearing a black button shirt and locs tied up