On this edition of In Black America, producer/host John L. Hanson Jr. speaks with Dr. Soncia Reagins-Lilly, vice president for student affairs and dean of students at The University of Texas at Austin.
Lilly collaborates with students, faculty and staff to help create a safe and welcoming campus where students can thrive through healthy learning environments.
In April 2006, Lilly joined the University of Texas at Austin as senior associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students.
Today, she leads a diverse portfolio of nine departments in the Division of Student Affairs that are dedicated to providing a cutting-edge student experience from orientation through graduation. The Division includes 14 on-campus residence halls and their dining facilities, medical and mental health services, new student orientation, recreational sports and two university unions. The Division also supports 1,300 student organizations, student emergency and veteran services, and leadership programs.
Lilly earned a bachelor's degree in economics at The University of California at Irvine, a master's in education at California State University, San Bernardino, and a doctorate in education administration at the University of Southern California.
For more than three decades, she has been committed to helping students have a successful college experience. She began her career as a student union program coordinator followed by progressive leadership roles in student affairs at major universities. Before coming to The University, she served as assistant vice chancellor of student affairs administration at the University of California, Los Angeles.