From Semester at Sea to Blue Ridge: Dennis Jackson Arrives at Warren Wilson
Emily Cobb | September 23, 2025
Dennis Jackson, associate vice president for residence life, compliance and conduct at Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa, N.C., Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. (Vivian Bryan/Echo)
Dennis Jackson, the new associate vice president of residence life, compliance and conduct at Warren Wilson College (WWC), brings an exceptional qualification for the job: He's lived on college campuses for over 20 years.
Jackson began his experience in residence life in his second semester at Appalachian State University (ASU) as a Resident Assistant (RA).
“I love the energy on the college campus, there's so much learning that happens outside of the classroom,” Jackson said. “As I got older, [I] realized I found a lot of joy in being a part of that experience for other people and trying to create environments that were conducive to people's success.”
Jackson remained an RA for the next three and a half years and graduated with a degree in business administration and management. After graduating, he extended his time at ASU to complete a master's degree in student development. Since then, he has worked in student services worldwide, including three voyages on Semester at Sea. Jackson is a voracious traveler, having been to roughly 50 countries and almost all 50 states.
“I've found that you learn so much, not only about other cultures and other people when you travel, but about yourself,” Jackson said. “The world is a big place, but it can become smaller when you are able to explore it… It's nice to see that you're a smaller piece in a bigger picture.”
Jackson’s latest stint in higher education was at Waukesha County Technical College in Wisconsin, where he spent almost five years as the director of cultural engagement and compliance. Jackson’s job was eliminated due to the college’s restructuring surrounding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), which was a large portion of the work Jackson did. With his position cut, Jackson began the job hunt, looking at colleges across the country.
“When I was job searching, I wanted to be intentional in finding a community that really valued identity,” Jackson said. “I stressed that I wanted everywhere that I interviewed to know who I really was, what I valued, which was inclusion, equity, identity, respect. At Warren Wilson, I got the vibe that people can be who they wanted to be, and that is something you notice when you walk across campus. I like uniqueness. I like creativity. I like culture…I feel like this is probably one of the most authentic places that I've been at in my work career, so that's really cool and exciting.”
WWC also provided the opportunity for Jackson to return to residence life and the mountains of Western North Carolina, close to Charlotte, where he grew up.
“It's exciting in some ways, being back; it's comforting,” Jackson said. “There are some things that I didn't realize [I missed], like the southern accent and the food. The food is way better in the South.”
Jackson started at WWC in August and is working on integrating into his new position. So far, one of his biggest challenges has been building strong connections within the WWC community.
“I think a challenge here in particular, because there's a lot of aspects to this job, is finding opportunities to connect with students,” Jackson said. “I've tried to engage with folks, but I know it'll only get better once I have more of a grasp and get a little bit more time under my belt to become more efficient.”
Jackson stressed that he wants to provide stability and create a meaningful impact on WWC by driving change.
“My ultimate goal is I want to create positive change,” Jackson said. “Behind that is also creating some stability for the [Residence Life] department…How can we create stability and create positions on all levels that work for the changes in times as we continue to move forward, while still keeping the unique Warren Wilson Community?”
Overall, Jackson has enjoyed his arrival at WWC, from the southern food at Gladfelter Dining Hall to the community that shares his values of authenticity. Jackson encouraged people to come and introduce themselves and to visit his office in Dodge.