Dr. Eboni Ford Turnbow has agreed to serve as Interim Vice President for Enrollment Management & Student Success, effective as of June 6. Her appointment follows the departure of Jason Meriwether, who had served in the role for the last three years, and announced earlier his plans to step down at the end of Spring Semester.

A national search to fill the position on a permanent basis will begin soon. 

As part of this transition, the position’s title and the name of the division have been updated to more accurately reflect the scope of responsibilities including student recruitment, student life, student support programs, and more. It is now the Division of Enrollment Management & Student Success.

Dr. Ford Turnbow has served as Dean of Students at Cal Poly Humboldt since August 2019. During her time at Humboldt, she led the area through the significant challenges brought on by the pandemic, while also guiding significant changes and improvements. She has built partnerships with staff, administrators, and faculty across the University to contribute to increasing holistic student support efforts and services. 

Under her leadership, numerous high-impact student affairs practices have been developed, including creation of the Institutional Programming Model, Humboldt Orientation Program restructure, the Student Marketing Center, and more. There has been a significant expansion of student life programming, including a reimagining of the Gutswurrak Student Activities Center and creation of a new unit to coordinate campus events.

“Eboni has brought strong leadership to our campus over the last three years, and I admire the student-centered approach she has created within the Dean of Students Office. I know she will do very well in this role,” said Cal Poly Humboldt President Tom Jackson, Jr. 

“I am humbled and appreciative for this opportunity. I’m thankful for the guidance of Dr. Meriwether and the trust that Dr. Jackson and his team have in me to guide the division through this transition. It is my sincere ambition to use a collaborative, data-driven, student-centered approach in the coming months to maintain the exciting momentum and opportunities that accompany our designation as the state's newest Polytechnic,” said Dr. Ford Turnbow. 

Dr. Ford Turnbow earned her Ph.D. in Sociology at Wayne State University, where she studied the impact of gender and race within work organizations. She earned her M.Ed. in College Student Affairs Leadership at Grand Valley State University, and her Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education and Health Studies at Wayne State.

Dr. Ford Turnbow serves as the Co-Chair for the Womxn in Student Affairs Knowledge Community for the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), and was a participant in the fourth cohort of NASPA’s Supporting, Expanding, and Recruiting Volunteer Excellence (SERVE) Academy. In Spring 2021, she was selected to serve as the Sponsorship Co-Chair for the 2022 NASPA Western Regional Conference in Anaheim, California.

Dr. Ford Turnbow has a passion for student development and contributes to the constant evolution of the profession of student affairs. She is a past president of the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) - Michigan, a state division of the ACPA, has presented over 75 workshops and presentations at regional and national conferences, and is a published author, with her most recent co-authored book chapter, “When Intersections Collide: Young Black Women Combat Sexism, Racism, and Ageism in Higher Education.” Her efforts throughout her career have been honored and recognized by the National Association of Campus Activities (NACA), WSU, and NASPA. She is a proud and active member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.