Siena Heights University has a new face to campus, a new director of Student Engagement. His name is Dexter Overall, and he previously worked as the coordinator of diversity programs at University of Michigan-Dearborn.

“I am super excited to be here at Siena,” he said. “I started Aug. 7, so we’re approaching my first month and it’s been everything I expected and more. I knew from the interview process that this is where I wanted to be. Part of my reason for wanting to be here at Siena had a lot to do with the mission of the university, looking up and understanding the university’s history while looking at some of the things that are offered here on campus. It really came across to me as a school that’s invested, not only the educational growth of the students, but also the personal and professional growth as well.”

He said he is feeling really good about his time here at Siena so far, and is confident in his vision for what he has in store for students here on campus.

“One thing I like to tell people about me is I dream big and think big, so I start with huge plans and then we’ll see where is scales down to,” Overall said. “My personal motto is ‘be big, be bold, be iconic,’ so no small steps. Let’s just go for the big and scale back if we need to. My plans for Student Engagement is to showcase what Siena Heights has to offer outside of the classroom. I really want to engage commuter students as well as non-traditional students, and I look forward to growing a lot of the student organizations and events on campus. It’s an honor to be apart of an office that is responsible for campus traditions. Being a part of something like this is rewarding, and my plan is to take the engagement period to the next level.”

Overall received his Master of Education degree from the University of North Florida, his Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work from the University of Illinois-Springfield and his Associate of Arts degree in Social Work from Prairie State College, along with being a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

He said he is very excited to be working on campus, hoping to make sure that events go smoothly and that students are having fun. To welcome him to the SHU community in person, his office is located on the second floor of the University Center (UC) in The Hub.