Associate Vice President Evette Castillo Clark to Become Vice President for Student Life at Lewis & Clark College

Dear Saint Mary’s Community,

I write today to ask that all members of our Saint Mary’s community join me in congratulating Dr. Evette Castillo Clark, Associate Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, as she prepares to take on her next professional challenge as the new Vice President for Student Life at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Evette will begin her new role on August 1st.

Since her arrival as Dean of Students in 2013, Dr. Clark has made an impact on the Saint Mary’s community that will live far beyond her time on campus. She has worn many hats as a Gael, including Interim Vice Provost for Student Life, Associate Vice President for Student Life, and her latest role as the College’s AVP for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  As a national student affairs leader, her efforts since she arrived brought innovation and best practices to Saint Mary’s, and helped strengthen campus-wide training efforts in Title IX, bystander intervention education, and helping students in distress. Her work in support of student retention, engagement, well-being, academic success, and our mission, laid the foundation for many successful campus initiatives that are well-positioned to thrive both now and in the future. 

Even before her latest appointment, Dr. Clark served as an important leader in Saint Mary’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging efforts. She was a longtime member of the College Committee on Inclusive Excellence (CCIE) and chaired the Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT). She was also a member of the Asian Pacific Islander Resource Group and Black Lives Matter, helped develop and launch SMC’s GUIDE training, served as a co-chair for the Campus Climate Survey Working Group, and served as a Title IX Deputy while also a member of the Title IX Committee overseeing compliance and policy. She also helped advocate for and create the College’s inaugural Senior Diversity Officer position as well as the Title IX Investigator. As Associate Vice President for Student Life, she oversaw the Center for Women and Gender Equity and the Intercultural Center. As Dean of Students, Dr. Clark oversaw the offices of Campus Housing; Community Life; Meetings, Events, and Conference Services (through 2019); New Student and Family Programs; Residential Experience; and Student Involvement and Leadership. In addition, she has served the residential community of Ageno East as its resident director for almost nine years. 

As we celebrate Dr. Clark’s next chapter, we also understand how important it will be to maintain the momentum she has created when it comes to positive change in our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. An interim appointment will be announced soon, and the search for our next full-time AVP for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will also begin this summer.

For nearly 30 years, Dr. Clark has worked tirelessly on behalf of students. While the students of Lewis & Clark will now benefit from her passion for student engagement and success, we are extremely grateful for the work she has done and the legacy she leaves behind here at Saint Mary’s. I will share information shortly on an opportunity to gather to celebrate her contributions to Saint Mary’s and her next professional chapter. In the meantime, please join me in congratulating Dr. Clark.

Best regards,

Richard Plumb, PhD
President