Florida State University has appointed Joe O’Shea as Vice President for Student Academic Success, a new role responsible for overseeing the university’s award-winning student academic success initiatives.
President Richard McCullough established the new senior leadership position to advance FSU’s student-centered mission and lead the university’s comprehensive efforts to recruit, retain and graduate an accomplished student body.
“A distinguished scholar, FSU alumnus and leader in higher education, Joe O’Shea is a true visionary in driving student success initiatives,” McCullough said. “His bold strategies have helped transform FSU into a national leader in supporting students from all backgrounds to thrive academically and graduate on time.”
O’Shea, who has served as associate provost and dean of Undergraduate Studies for the past five years, will oversee multiple key areas in his new role, including the offices of Admissions, Financial Aid and the University Registrar, as well as units focused on both undergraduate and graduate students, including advising, retention, honors programs and veteran services.
“Joe’s appointment marks a significant milestone for FSU as our fundamental commitment to student academic success continues to be at the heart of the university’s mission,” said Jim Clark, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “His vision and proven success in advancing student-centered learning and his dedication that every student has access to the resources, guidance and opportunities needed to excel make him the ideal person to lead FSU’s student success initiatives.”
O’Shea, who served as FSU’s student body president before earning his bachelor’s degree in 2008, has dedicated his career to advancing his alma mater through initiatives focused on students. A Rhodes and Truman Scholar, O’Shea earned a master’s degree in comparative social policy and a doctorate in education from the University of Oxford before returning to FSU as an administrator in 2011.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve FSU in this new role. This is an exciting time for our university to innovate and expand upon our record as a leader in academic achievement and student success. Together, we will deliver a world-class educational experience where every student is empowered to reach their highest potential.”
— Vice President for Student Academic Success Joe O’Shea
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve FSU in this new role,” O’Shea said. “This is an exciting time for our university to innovate and expand upon our record as a leader in academic achievement and student success. Together, we will deliver a world-class educational experience where every student is empowered to reach their highest potential.”
Before serving as dean of Undergraduate Studies, he held several positions in Academic Affairs, including Assistant Provost and the Director of Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement. He will continue to serve as dean while a national search is conducted for his successor.
O’Shea has overseen the creation of numerous programs bolstering FSU’s student support ecosystem, including the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, Engage 100, the Center for the Advancement of Teaching, the Graduation Planning and Strategies Office, and the Center for Academic Guidance.
He has also led the growth of key academic programs for undergraduate students, such as the Center for Academic Retention & Enhancement, Transfer Student Services, the Honors Program, and Student Athlete Academic Services.
In part because of O’Shea’s leadership, as well as the effective teamwork across many university leaders, FSU has shattered records across nearly every metric of student performance and outcomes. FSU’s four-year graduation rate of 76% and its 96% first-year retention rate both rank among the top 10 for public universities. The university also recently set records for its six-year graduation rate at 86% and its transfer student graduation rate at 78.4%, which is the highest in Florida and among the best in the nation.
Most importantly, graduation rates at FSU show virtually no gaps across students’ socioeconomic backgrounds. Pell Grant recipients, for example, graduate at an 83% rate after six years, the highest ever at FSU and on par with the overall student population.
“Every day, I am inspired by our students,” O’Shea said. “Our university attracts some of the brightest, most talented minds from around the world, and I look forward to helping them thrive at FSU and beyond.”
O’Shea also serves as a faculty member in the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies in the Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, as co-editor of the Journal of Postsecondary Student Success and as co-director of the Collaborative Lab for the Advancement of Student Success (CLASS). He is an expert in student success and postsecondary education and the author of multiple books and articles, including his forthcoming co-authored publication through Harvard Education Press, The Education They Deserve: A Leader’s Guide to Supporting College Teaching.