Kowalka named to ACUI Board of Trustees

DSAES News
July 21, 2022

Keith T. Kowalka, assistant vice president for student affairs, has been elected to serve on the Association of College Unions International Board of Trustees.

Kowalka was elected as an at-large board member during voting by members in November. Kowalka and the other new members of the board, as well as the new president-elect, Rutger University’s Neela Patel, will take office at the 2022 ACUI Annual Conference next March.

Kowalka said he’s honored to be elected to the ACUI Board of Trustees.

“I’m super excited to get to work with some amazing colleagues in the advancement of campus community building through the Association of College Unions International, and I am looking forward to the experience and service,” he said.

Other new board members include Dwayne Isaacs, director of student life and engagement at the University of South Florida-St. Petersburg; and Ian Crone, director of the University of Tennessee student union.

"Keith brings a wealth of knowledge and professional experiences that will be an asset to the Board of Trustees," said Dr. Daniel Maxwell, interim vice president for student affairs and enrollment services. "Keith is certainly one of our thought leaders in the student union and activities profession. I am excited for him and know that he joins an outstanding group of student affairs professionals who will continue to lift our collective work on college campus in the US and beyond."

Kowalka has served ACUI in a number of volunteer roles, such as chair of the diversity, equity and inclusion program team, annual conference program team chair, I-LEAD (Institute for Leadership Education and Development) program team leader, regional host director and conference chair education and research fund team member, and numerous working groups.

Earlier this year, ACUI recognized Kowalka with double honors: the 2021 Butts-Whiting Award and Legacy Leader.

Founded in 1914, ACUI is a nonprofit educational organization that brings together college union and student activities professionals from hundreds of schools in seven countries. ACUI is the professional home to thousands of campus community builders around the world.