Annette Diorio joined Union College on January 2, 2023 as the new Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students. Prior to Union, Diorio was Vice President of Student life at Lafayette College since 2012.  at Union, she will pursue an extensive portfolio for the betterment of student facilities which includes managing the services and operations of dining, health and wellness, student activities, residential experience, student conduct and athletics. 

Concordiensis reached out to Vice President Diorio regarding her expectations from the Union community. 

What attracted you to the role of the VP of student affairs and Dean of Students at Union? Is there something particular that you are looking forward to? 

I grew up in the Bronx and was familiar with Union from my own experiences going to school and working in New York. This particular role was attractive because it is similar in many ways to the work I was doing at Lafayette College but with a slightly larger focus. I am looking forward to living closer to campus so I can attend more events and have opportunities to learn about what interests the students.

What are your expectations from this community?

My expectations are that people work together to create positive change, demonstrate intellectual curiosity, be willing to take risks, place students at the center of our decision-making and use data to inform our decisions.

What was the first thing that stood out to you when you first arrived on campus? 

The Nott Memorial is truly stunning and the beauty of the campus is easy to fall in love with. I also love how walkable the community is.

 In your tenure as VP at Lafayette, you contributed a lot to the school’s first multicultural Greek organization and also simplified the housing rate structure to promote equity. Do you have any such vision for Union?

My contributions at Lafayette were always rooted in what we identified as items that would strengthen the student experience and make it more equitable. My vision for Union remains focused on the student experience and equity but I have not yet interacted enough with students to know specifically what priorities rise to the top. 

What is your favorite part about working in an educational community? 

My favorite part of working at a college is interacting with students. It is so exciting to hear from alumni about how their undergraduate experiences contribute to their personal and professional journey.  Being a part of that foundation is an extraordinary privilege.