USI appoints new vice president

Dr. Robert W. Parrent

A college administrator with experience in enrollment services, student services, and financial assistance has been appointed vice president for Student Affairs at USI. He is Dr. Robert W. Parrent of Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Parrent has 21 years experience in college administration. He was associate vice president for Enrollment Management at Southeast Missouri State University from 1997 to 2000, responsible for such offices as Admissions, Financial Aid Services, and Registrar. He supervised new student programs, pre-collegiate programs, minority recruitment, testing services, and gave leadership to the university’s Enrollment Development Task Force.

Both Southeast Missouri State University and USI have more than 9,000 students. They both offer access to higher education in an underserved region. Other similarities Dr. Parrent noted were the schools’ commitment to education and imparting knowledge, and the outstanding faculty for each university, whose main objectives are teaching and developing new knowledge.

Parrent moved to corporate management in 2000 to become chief operations officer for Sheldon Management and Consulting in Kentucky.

He returns to higher education with the USI appointment. Parrent said, “I’m coming back to higher education because of my passion for serving students, my love and joy of the higher education environment, and the impact one can have toward making students successful.”

He was attracted to USI for multiple reasons. He said, “USI is an exciting campus because it is such a young institution. It has done a lot of things right the first time because it learned from other institutions. And USI is absolutely where you want to be with residence life. Community dorms are out and apartments and suites are what students want.”

Prior to his work at Southeast Missouri State University, Parrent was vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Services at Midway College in Midway, Ky. He also has worked in admissions offices at University of Louisville, where he was director for seven years, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and Western Kentucky University.

He earned his Ed.D degree in higher education administration from Indiana University. His undergraduate work and master’s degree were completed at Western Kentucky University.

Vice President Parrent's employment at USI will begin July 1. Parent and his wife Joannie have two children, Lauren 17, and Cody, 11.

John Deem will continue in the position of acting vice president for Student Affairs for the spring semester.

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