Dear UMBC Community: 

I am writing to share the news that Brittini Brown, associate vice president for student affairs, is leaving UMBC to become associate vice provost for student engagement and dean of students at Johns Hopkins University. 

I am grateful for Brittini's commitment to students and for her many contributions to their success. Brittini joined UMBC in 2016 as the director of assessment, research, and strategic priorities. In that role, she helped UMBC become one of only 7 percent of higher education institutions utilizing student engagement data in predictive analytic models. As the acting director of Off-Campus Student Services (OCSS) from August 2017 until July 2018, she also oversaw the management and development of critical engagement and support resources for adult learners and for commuter, transfer, and veteran students. 

Brittini's leadership role in our division grew in 2019 when she became assistant vice president and then associate vice president in 2022. She provided leadership and guidance to assessment, research, and strategic priorities; Campus Life; the Center for Democracy and Civic Life; information technology; intellectual sports and applied learning; OCSS, Student Affairs Creative Services; and UMBC Transit. 

She also provided exceptional university-wide service in response to COVID-19 in the areas of health, safety, and compliance. Brittini led the Student COVID Compliance Team, resulting in a 98 percent compliance rate among undergraduate and graduate students. As a committed campus partner for academic initiatives, she has served on the Commencement Executive Committee, General Education Program Revision Committee, Student Success and Persistence Committee, and the Hrabowski Innovation Fund Selection Committee. Brittini has also served as a McNair Scholars Mentor and on the Meyerhoff Scholars Selection Committee. She also led the Free Speech and Political Activity group, charged with developing resources and providing consultation on campus protest and activism activities. 

Brittini has presented her work and research at the NASPA Assessment and Persistence Conference, American College Health Association Annual Conference, Maryland Student Affairs Conference, and Association for the Study of Higher Education Conference. She also recently participated in the NASPA AVP Institute designed to support and develop AVPs in their unique and challenging roles on campus. 

As a result of her expertise, Brittini was invited to serve on the Dean's Advisory Council for the Glenn W. Sample College of Agriculture at Purdue University, where she earned her PhD. She was named as a Distinguished Alumna of the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication at Purdue. Her analyses, editorials, and research have been published in MSIs Unplugged, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, and the American Council on Education Blog.

Brittini's last day in the office will be June 16. Please join me in thanking her for her many contributions to the Division of Student Affairs and our community broadly and in wishing her well in her new role at Johns Hopkins.