The search for a new Executive Director of Student Experience at Baker University has concluded with the hiring of Dr. Sophia Wilson. Wilson brings valuable experience to the position, having previously served as Associate Director and Director of Student Community and Engagement at Capital University for four years
Wilson will oversee transition programs such as Summer Orientation and Wildcat Welcome, as well as key campus experiences including Family Weekend and Transfer Celebration Week. She will also support leadership development and student engagement efforts across campus. Baker University hopes to improve the overall campus environment, and Wilson brings the experience to help do so.
Creating a strong campus culture is no easy task. It requires time, planning and consistency. Wilson is no stranger to that work.
“My vision is to build a strong foundation for student success from the moment students step on campus,” she said. “That starts with intentional, well-designed transition programs that help students feel prepared, connected, and confident.”
Within this vision, she wants to specifically focus on the small moments that shape how students feel when they arrive.
Helping students feel at home and connected with others can shape their overall college experience and help them find their place at Baker. Creating a campus culture where students can be themselves and feel supported is especially important at smaller
institutions such as Baker.
“When this is done well, we’re not just helping students succeed, we’re helping them truly thrive from day one,” Wilson said.
Genuine connections between faculty and students are common at Baker University. A low student-to-faculty ratio helps create those relationships and allows students to get to know their professors better. Wilson said she is looking forward to building those connections.
“There’s something special about a small campus that allows for genuine, individual connections to form,” she said.
Supporting students beyond the classroom can also create meaningful moments between students and faculty. Watching students walk across the stage at graduation is a “powerful moment after seeing how far they’ve come from their first day on campus,” Wilson said.
Wilson is expected to make an impact at Baker for years to come.
“If I can help create experiences that have a lasting impact on students and their time here, that would be incredibly meaningful to me,” she said.
