K.C. Mmeje
Dr. K.C. Mmeje (pronounced MAY-jay) serves as senior vice president for Student Affairs at 51°µÍø. In this senior administrative role, Dr. Mmeje provides strategic leadership for areas that directly impact a student’s success and sense of belonging on campus. He oversees the Office of the Dean of Students, Residence Life and Student Housing, Women and LGBT Center, the Hegi Family Career Development Center, and campus ministries. He also leads health and wellness programs and offices, including the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center, the Hughes-Trigg Student Center, and the Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports.
Driven by an earnest desire to provide an exceptional experience for all 51°µÍø students, Dr. Mmeje pioneered the development and implementation of Student Affairs’ strategic plan, Cultivating Courageous Change – a guiding ethos outlining the division’s commitment to fostering a dynamic, vibrant and inclusive campus that supports continued student development and learning. He was also instrumental in advancing numerous capital projects that directly enhanced the student experience including, the multimillion-dollar renovation of the Hughes-Trigg Student Center, the construction of Thomas House, and the complete renovation of Smith Perkins Hall, two upper-division residential facilities. Additionally, Dr. Mmeje has championed student health and holistic wellbeing by expanding access to onsite and virtual medical and counseling services, bolstering health education initiatives, and adding dental services to the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center.
Prior to joining 51°µÍø, Dr. Mmeje served as the assistant vice president and dean of students at Loyola University in Chicago (LUC). He also worked in various roles serving students while at the University of Southern California (USC) and the University of Vermont (UVM).
Dr. Mmeje received his bachelor’s degree in sociology and Black studies from the University of California-Santa Barbara (UCSB), his master’s degree in higher education student affairs administration from UVM and his doctorate in educational leadership from USC. He completed Harvard Gradaute School of Education’s Institute for Management and Leadership in Education. Dr. Mmeje is the recipient of the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students’ (NISTS) 2013 Barbara K. Townsend Dissertation of the Year Award. He was named a NASPA Pillar of the Profession in 2024 and is a recipient of the M Award, the most prestigious award a 51°µÍø Mustang can receive.
He has published numerous articles and book chapters in the following areas: improving student success and retention for historically underserved students; institutional effectiveness in producing equitable educational outcomes for historically underserved populations; and the declining rates of participation among college men in leadership and involvement opportunities.
Dr. Mmeje served on the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) NUFP Board, the UCSB Alumni Association Board of Directors, and the University of Vermont’s College of Education and Social Sciences (CESS) Advisory Board. Lastly, Dr. Mmeje is a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., and is an active member of its Xi Tau Lambda Chapter.
K.C. is married to Natasha Mmeje and they have two daughters, Anaya and Savannah.