Roberts named dean of student development
Kim Chaudoin | 615.966.6494 |
Students have a new friend in Lipscomb University’s Office of Student Life beginning today.
Attorney Josh Roberts has been appointed dean of student development in that office, Scott McDowell, senior vice president for student life, has announced.
“Josh brings a great deal of passion and expertise to this role of developing students in a holistic way” said McDowell. “His legal background will also be an invaluable resource as we navigate an increasingly complex higher education landscape where government regulations continually proliferate. He will dedicate himself to mentoring a new generation of leaders as Lipscomb continues its commitment to equipping students to discover their created purpose and to embrace their place in the kingdom.”
As dean of student development, Roberts will provide vision and leadership for a variety of student development initiatives including the career development center, the Student Government Association, student leadership programs, pre-professional student organizations, campus recreation and intramurals, intercultural development, international student services and veteran services. He also serves as the student life liaison with the university counseling center.
“I am overjoyed to be joining the Lipscomb family at this remarkable time,” said Roberts. “There’s not another university in the country that has more fully dedicated itself to developing students into leaders. As the dean of student development, it is my privilege to leverage the full weight of Lipscomb’s vast resources in a manner that carefully stretches, challenges and nurtures our student leaders.”
A Nashville native, Roberts was named to this new role at Lipscomb following a national search. He is a graduate of George Washington University and the University of Memphis School of Law.
Prior to attending law school, he worked in Washington, D.C., in the offices of Sen. Tim Hutchinson (R-Ark.) and Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.). He practiced law under the tutelage of Ed Bryant, former U.S. attorney, U.S. representative and current U.S. magistrate judge. During this time he was an active member of the Tennessee Bar Association and served as public service chair for the young lawyers' division in 2009. He was subsequently elected as district representative for the Tennessee Bar Association’s young lawyers' division.
Following a law practice focused primarily on representing schools and education administrators, Roberts joined the administration of Faulkner University’s Thomas Goode Jones School of Law in 2010. During his time at Faulkner, he worked in a variety of areas including admissions programming, student development programming, student athlete program development and strategic planning. In addition, Roberts has developed a national reputation as an expert in pre-professional student advising, serving as guest lecturer at universities and workshops throughout the country.
Roberts is no stranger to Lipscomb. As a child, he lived with his family in the area known as “The Ghetto” on the south end of the Lipscomb campus. His neighbors included former Lipscomb president Steve Flatt and his wife, Patsi (before his tenure as president), as well as Sarah Keith Gamble, associate dean of students.
“For my family and me, this is a very special kind of homecoming,” said Roberts.
While in Montgomery, Ala., he has also served as the deacon of the young married and young families group at the Landmark Church of Christ. Roberts and his wife, Cristen, have four children: Graydon, 7; Ensley, 4; Blythe, 2; and Lawson,