Darleny Cepin

Darleny Cepin, Ed.D., currently serves as the Senior Associate Dean of Campus Life and Chief Student Affairs Officer at Oxford College of Emory University. She leads with a bold, purposeful, and visionary approach, shaping a strategic direction that enhances student belonging, well-being, and engagement within a holistic campus life experience. As the chief student affairs officer, she is responsible for the strategic planning, impact evaluations, and oversight of residential and co-curricular undergraduate experiences. Dr. Cepin drives cross-divisional initiatives, directs community standards efforts, and champions inclusive practices that reflect Oxford’s liberal arts values.

Dr. Cepin previously served as the Assistant Dean for Campus Life at Princeton University where she garnered recognition for her transformative influence on students' lives. She pioneered the groundbreaking "Live Well Be Well (LWBW)" program, tailored to students, which champions essential life skills, promotes healthy behaviors, and instills positive habits. Her initiatives became references for similar programs across Princeton’s residential colleges. She also served as the Associate Director of Residential Life at Columbia University, where she was responsible for strategic planning and assessment in one of the university’s largest residential communities.

Dr. Cepin’s expertise lies in conceptualizing and implementing academic and administrative best practices while overseeing student development, academic affairs, and campus life programming. She holds a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Adult Learning & Leadership and a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Organizational Psychology from Teachers College at Columbia University. Her dissertation, How Student Affairs Professionals Learn to Meet Student Needs and Institutional Expectations, explores how practitioners acquire and apply knowledge to align with evolving institutional goals.