Jerrold Stein, Dean Emeritus and Advisor to the Vice President for Student Affairs, was recognized by the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) Foundation as a 2018 Diamond Honoree for his extensive work at Stony Brook University.
The Diamond Honoree Program is both a recognition program and a fundraising activity for ACPA’s goals in furthering the development of student service professionals. The program has generated more than $100,000 since it began in 1999.
Previous Diamond Honorees at Stony Brook include Dr. Dallas Bauman, Assistant Vice President for Campus Residences, and the late Dr. Peter Baigent, Vice President for Student Affairs.
Stein was nominated for the honor by Bauman and Al deVries, Associate Director of Residential Programs.
“It’s a great honor to have had a small part in providing recognition and acknowledgement for someone who has given so much,” Bauman said.
In his more than 40-year tenure at Stony Brook University, Stein has served as Associate Vice President and Dean of Students. While serving in those roles, Stein was responsible for overseeing a wide range of departments, including Multicultural Affairs, Commuter Student Services, LGBTQ* Services and more.
Stein has had a huge impact on student life at Stony Brook. He began the initiative to wear Seawolf red on Fridays, something that has become ingrained in the tradition and culture of the campus. He also developed the Red Watch Band program, which addresses issues of toxic drinking, and now has chapters on campuses across the country as well as in several high schools in the New York Metropolitan area.
Beyond campus initiatives, Stein has also helped mentor countless individuals pursuing a career in higher education.
“Dean Stein’s leadership and unwavering support of students, coupled with his charisma and sound advice, has left an indelible impression upon me. In fact, Dean Stein’s mentoring was the catalyst that gave me the courage to pursue a career in higher education. I’m sure there are many more Stony Brook graduates who share similar sentiments,” said Marrisa Trachtenberg-Johnson, JD, ’06, ’07.
Stein’s consistent championing of not only student success, but the aspiring professionals around him as well, has made him a beloved and well-respected member of the community at Stony Brook — and the perfect Diamond Honoree.
You are awesome!