Jonathan Locust, Jr.
In January of this year, Jonathan Locust, Jr. joined Winona State University as the Associate Vice President for Inclusion & Diversity and Chief Diversity Officer.
As AVP and Chief Diversity Officer, Locust will work collaboratively with the WSU community, providing innovative leadership and partnership to promote and evaluate the progress and impact of efforts to be inclusive and welcoming throughout all aspects of the WSU community.
According to Denise McDowell, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Life, Locust has expertise in development and implementation of institutional diversity plans, and will work to engage and support the university community on issues related to diversity, equality and inclusion.
Looking forward to working collaboratively with the WSU community, Locust said, “Through a framework of inclusive excellence, we will measure our success. I want to thank Winona State University for this exciting opportunity.”
Before coming to WSU, Locust served as Deputy Title IX Coordinator and Director of Institutional Diversity at Ashland University in Ohio. He holds a Ph.D. in Educational Theory and Social Foundations from the University of Toledo, a master’s degree in higher education from Kaplan University, and a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Cincinnati. He was recently honored with the National Role Model Award from Minority Access, a nonprofit organization with the mission of assisting institutions to recruit and retain underserved and underrepresented populations.
