To: Wellesley College Community
From: President Paula A. Johnson
Re: Welcoming Wellesley’s New Vice President and Dean of Students
Date: August 21, 2017
I am very pleased to welcome to our community Sheilah Shaw Horton, who joined us in July at the start of the 2017 academic year as Wellesley’s vice president and dean of students. A remarkably accomplished professional with more than 25 years of experience in higher education, Dean Horton brings strong leadership, strategic vision, and a deep dedication to supporting and working with students.
Dean Horton will join the College’s Senior Leadership team, where she will contribute her considerable understanding of contemporary issues in student affairs to our strategic decision-making. She will be a critical member of our team as we move forward with a renewed focus on residential life, student wellness, and a commitment to fostering a culture of diversity, inclusion, and equity.
Dean Horton joins us from Loyola University Maryland, where she served as the vice president of student development and dean of students. There she led 15 departments that provide a wide array of programs and services designed to enhance students’ academic and personal success. Before joining Loyola, Dean Horton spent 25 years at Boston College, where she held a number of key positions with ever-increasing leadership responsibilities, including associate vice president and dean of the students, from 2008 to 2011.
Dean Horton holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Boston College. She has taught both undergraduate and graduate students. She is a trustee of her alma mater, Emmanuel College—a liberal arts college for women at the time she attended.
Supported by the dedicated members of the Student Life division, Dean Horton will lead and inspire us as we reimagine student life at Wellesley for the 21st century. Please join me in extending a warm welcome to Dean Horton.
