Sean Bennett Named First VP for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

As a direct report to the president and member of Hamilton’s senior staff, Bennett will provide leadership for constructive and collaborative change, guiding and educating campus stakeholders and championing transparency and shared accountability for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at all levels at the College. This new cabinet-level position was established to develop and deepen meaningful partnerships with community members across the College and in the community, and to facilitate the revision and implementation of a comprehensive strategic vision for DEI campus wide.

“Sean’s appointment is just one part of a broader effort for making Hamilton a more fully welcoming and inclusive community for every person. Our community will benefit greatly from his 20 years of progressive experience in education and his track record as an effective communicator, collaborator, and operations leader,” Wippman said.

Before his appointment to vice president at Salem State University, Bennett served 10 years as an assistant dean, and three years as director of the Multicultural Center for Academic Success at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). There he created a distributed leadership model for college advising and led myriad retention initiatives that helped increase first-year retention in the College of Applied Science as well as the college’s participation in the university honors program. Prior to RIT, Bennett was associate vice president for institutional diversity initiatives and pipeline programs at Clarkson University.

“I am extremely excited about joining the Hamilton family. The College’s obvious commitments to reflection and intellectual growth are appealing for anyone dedicated to the concepts of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion,” Bennett said. “I am inspired by the foundational contributions of students, staff, and faculty who continue the work of making Hamilton a space of welcome and belonging. Although we live in a time of great challenges, I remain optimistic about the possibilities. I look forward to our journey together as community. ”

Bennett earned an Ed.D. in higher education management at the University of Pennsylvania; an Ed.M. in administration, planning and social policy at Harvard University; an M.S.Ed. at SUNY Brockport; and a B.S. in electrical engineering at Clarkson University.

A committee that included students, faculty, and administrators conducted the national search with assistance from executive search firm Isaacson, Miller.