Lynn Willett has been named vice president for Student Affairs at Coastal Carolina University, according to an announcement today by Coastal President Ronald R. Ingle. Willett will begin her duties at Coastal on July 21, 2003, upon the retirement of Robert Squatriglia, who has held the position since 1977.

Willett comes to Coastal from Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts, where she has served as vice president for Student Affairs since 1990. Her responsibilities as Coastal's chief Student Affairs officer will encompass all the university's student-related services, programs and activities, including the residence halls, student government, multicultural affairs, Greek life, career services and intramurals.

At Bridgewater, Willett leads a division that includes 14 departments and 185 staff members who serve a student population of more than 9,000. Prior to joining Bridgewater, Willett was dean of students at St. Mary's College of Maryland. She has also served as staff assistant to the vice provost for Student Affairs at The Ohio State University and Residential Life coordinator at the University of Vermont. She is a past president of the Association of College Personnel Administrators (ACPA).

"Dr. Willett has a broad range of experience in developing programs that lead to student achievement inside and outside the classroom," said Ingle. "She is a proven, student-focused administrator who can build on the tradition of quality student services Bob Squatriglia has established at Coastal."

"I'm excited to join the students, faculty and staff at Coastal," said Willett. "The campus already offers some wonderful opportunities for students and I look forward to working with student leaders and new colleagues to build on and expand those opportunities."

Willett earned a bachelor's degree in English and speech and a master's degree in college student personnel from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. She earned a Ph.D. in educational administration from The Ohio State University in 1983.