Assumption University Names Debbie Heida Interim Vice President for Student Affairs

Assumption University today announced that Debbie Heida has been named Interim Vice President for Student Affairs, effective August 1. Heida most recently served as Senior Advisor for the Division of Student Affairs at Duke University, where she also served as Interim Associate Vice President and Dean of Students. 

“Debbie is a nationally respected leader in the field of student affairs,” said Assumption University President Greg Weiner. “She recognizes the powerful impact of the student experience both here at Assumption, and throughout her broad experience in higher education. I look forward to working alongside her and all the talented and committed campus partners who support students in all facets of that experience—academic, personal, social, and communal.” 

Heida joins Assumption with more than four decades of experience in higher education, including 14 years as Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Berry College—where she also served as Chief of Staff and still holds the title of Vice President Emerita. Prior to Berry College, she served as Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students at Wittenberg University. 

“I have learned so much about this special community, and I look forward to working with students, faculty, and staff to make the residential community an even more vibrant, thriving part of an Assumption experience,” said Heida. “The university’s strategic plan is ambitious in its goals for the student experience and student affairs has a key role to playing in contributing to the best experience possible for our students.” 

As one of the profession’s most distinguished leaders, Heida received a Pillar of the Profession lifetime achievement award from NASPA, the leading professional organization for student affairs worldwide. Just a year after arriving at Duke as interim vice president, she received the prestigious Dean Suzanne Wasiolek Award from the student body for her profound impact on the lives of students through advocacy, innovation, and unwavering dedication to student welfare. 

She received a Master of Arts in Higher Education from The Ohio State University, a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government from the University of Mount Union, and completed the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University.