main content Evette Castillo Clark to Step Down as Vice President and Dean of Students

Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students Evette Castillo Clark has announced that she will be leaving Lewis & Clark this semester. 

“Castillo Clark has been a tremendous asset to Lewis & Clark, ably leading the Division of Student Life since August 1, 2022,” President Robin Holmes-Sullivan said. “She brought with her extensive experience as a student life leader and has maintained consistent focus on enhancing the student experience, increasing retention, and creating a more informed student body.”

Evette’s many accomplishments at Lewis & Clark center around her commitment to students and her work to align the division of student life around a set of core values and strategic themes. These themes and values guided the division’s work and shaped their goals throughout Evette’s tenure. The division made significant progress under Evette’s leadership, including in the areas of experiential learning, civic leadership, peer leadership, school spirit, career development, inclusion, belonging, and wellness. In addition, Evette led efforts to improve transportation and parking systems; strengthened campus safety, emergency management, and student-related institutional policies and procedures; and advanced the undergraduate first-year experience.

“It has been wonderful to have Evette on my leadership team,” President Holmes-Sullivan said. “She has brought tremendous expertise and energy to the cabinet and I have appreciated having her good counsel over the last several years.”

Ben Meoz, associate vice president of campus life and senior associate dean of students, will step into the role of interim vice president and dean of students on April 1, 2025.

A national search for Lewis & Clark’s next vice president for student life and dean of students will launch fall semester 2025.

As Evette prepares to depart the college on April 1, we invite you to join us in celebrating her many contributions and wishing her the very best in her next chapter.

Please join us for a farewell reception in her honor:

Date: Thursday, March 20
Time: 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Location: Smith Hall, Undergraduate Campus

Light hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served as we come together to express our gratitude for Evette’s dedication and hard work. Your presence will help make this occasion especially meaningful.