(Long Island, NY) The student development and support needs of students at SUNY Old Westbury received a boost recently with the announcement of three appointments within the College’s Division of Student Affairs.
“At Old Westbury, we seek out professionals dedicated to the academic and personal welfare of students, and who have a deep understanding of the important role a liberal arts education plays in the development of our students,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Wayne Edwards. “The newest members of our team certainly meet those requirements.”
Omar Estrada Torres has been named Dean of Students, coming to Old Westbury after serving as the Associate Dean of Students at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. During his 14 years in higher education, Estrada Torres has also served students at Texas Christian University, St. John’s University and SUNY Albany. He is a member of the Association for Student Conduct Administration, the National Association of Student Service Personnel and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. Estrada Torres is pursuing an Ed.d. in Education with a concentration in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University, and holds both an M.P.A. and a B.A. from SUNY Albany.
Stacey DeFelice joins Old Westbury as Director of the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities. She comes to Old Westbury after serving as the Director of the MORE Program at Five Towns College. Under her leadership at Five Towns, the Motivated, Organized, Realistic and Enthusiastic (MORE) Program saw improvement among students achieving a GPA of 3.0 or higher increase from 24% to 64% and retention of students in the program increase at more than double of the general college population. DeFelice earned an M.A. in Education/English from Dowling College and a B.A. in English from Stony Brook University.
Gareth Shumack joins Old Westbury as Director of Residential Life, after having served most recently as Assistant Director of Residential Life for Adelphi University. He also had served as Senior Residence Hall Director and Residence Hall Director at Adelphi and as Assistant Resident Director at Wagner College. A member of the Association of College and University Housing Officers International, the Long Island Council of Student Personnel Administrators and the American College Personnel Association, he earned his B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology and an M.B.A. from Wagner College, followed by an M.A. from Adelphi University.
SUNY Old Westbury is a selective public liberal arts college with more than 4,500 students studying in more than 40 undergraduate degree opportunities in its liberal arts and professional programs and 16 graduate programs in business, education liberal studies and mental health counseling. On the College’s 604-acre campus, students are challenged to take ownership of their futures through an environment that demands academic excellence, fosters intercultural understanding, and endeavors to stimulate a passion for learning and a commitment to building a more just and sustainable world. For more information on SUNY Old Westbury, visit www.oldwestbury.edu.
