Campus Life announces reorganization

In alignment with the University’s Strategic Framework, the Division of Campus Life is implementing an organizational restructure that focuses on enhancing a robust residential model and elevates co-curricular leadership education. Vice President for Campus Life Shea Kidd Brown has expanded two leadership roles within the division to enable a transformative, student-centered experience. 

Matt Clifford has been appointed associate vice president for Campus Life and dean of students in a newly imagined role that aligns the residential experience with the Office of the Dean of Students. Marianne Magjuka has been appointed assistant vice president for Campus Life and will retain her title as executive director of the Office of Civic and Community Engagement. Magjuka will report dually to Campus Life and Academic Affairs within the Office of the Provost. Both appointments are effective January 1, 2024.    

Clifford will oversee the Office of the Dean of Students, Residence Life and Housing, Campus Recreation, Orientation, New Student and Transition Programs, and the Office of the Chaplain. Over the past 13 years, he has served in a number of roles at Wake Forest, including director of residence life, associate dean of students, assistant vice president and dean of Residence Life and Housing. Since June, he has served as associate vice president and interim dean of students. Clifford is active in the profession, having held national leadership positions with NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society. He was recently elected president of the Southern Association for College Student Affairs and will begin his term in November 2024. 

“Matt has enjoyed a lengthy tenure at Wake Forest and is an exemplary campus partner,” said Kidd Brown. “He cares deeply about students and colleagues, understands collaboration in its truest sense, and views the student experience as holistic. His background in residence life, crisis management, campus facilities, care and student conduct, and understanding of complex organizations, coupled with the seamlessness with which he transitioned into the dynamic role of interim dean of students, make him uniquely qualified to step into this expanded role.” 

Clifford is excited to continue serving the Wake Forest community in this expanded role. 

“I am eager in this role to create what I describe as a front porch experience. From the moment students move into their residence hall, they are welcomed and belong, they know that they matter, and they will be encouraged to sit and explore the complexities of their experience with someone who cares about them,” Clifford said. “The dean of students role is only as effective as the partnerships with colleagues. I will continue my work of building bridges with campus partners to enrich student learning and growth.”

As assistant vice president for Campus Life and executive director of the Office of Civic and Community Engagement (OCCE), Magjuka will report dually to Campus Life and Academic Affairs within the Office of the Provost. This strategic alignment will expand OCCE partnerships within Campus Life while continuing to support faculty, staff and students through community-engaged learning and programming. 

For 12 years, Magjuka has provided leadership at the University in a number of capacities, including director of Campus Life, director of democratic engagement and justice programs within the Pro Humanitate Institute, and founding executive director of the Office of Civic and Community Engagement.  She is currently serving as executive director of the Office of Civic and Community Engagement and assistant dean of students. She co-founded the Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Knowledge Community within NASPA and is active in the organization. As executive director of the OCCE, she has collaboratively supported community-based teaching, research and scholarship. She has also promoted leadership, service, and civic engagement among students through marquee initiatives, including Hit the Bricks, Wake ‘N Shake, Campus Kitchen and Deacs Decide. 

In her expanded role, Magjuka will oversee the Office of Student Engagement, which includes Fraternity and Sorority Life, Student Organizations, Campus Programs and Services, and the Student Government. Tim Wilkinson will continue to lead this unit as executive director of student engagement. 

“A hallmark of Marianne’s leadership is bringing various people and ideas together,” said Kidd Brown. “She has been especially talented in promoting academic integration over the course of her career. The campus is, in fact, the classroom, and I am looking forward to the ways this new alignment will foster student learning across the university, support faculty in pursuits related to experiential learning, and bring together key elements related to student engagement and leadership.” 

Magjuka will be tasked with building collaborative partnerships across the university to connect existing leadership development opportunities and conceptualize new initiatives to broaden access to co-curricular leadership education.  

“I am thrilled to step into this new role, and I look forward to building upon successful programs in the Office of Civic & Community Engagement and the Office of Student Engagement to create pathways for all students to explore leadership, meaning, and purpose,” Magjuka said. “I am honored to be doing this work at Wake Forest, my professional home for the past 12 years. I look forward to expanding partnerships to support co-curricular experiential learning, civic engagement, and leadership development across the institution.”

Associate Provost for Academic Affairs Anne Hardcastle said, “Marianne will bring outstanding leadership, remarkable people and organizational skills to her role as assistant vice president for campus life. Her optimism, compassion, and deep commitment to our communities will provide a meaningful vision for aligning Wake Forest’s curricular and co-curricular community engagement initiatives.”