Student Life Office

Student drop-in hours for Dr. K (new hours for Fall 2022 to come!)

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Karnell McConnell-Black, VPSL, invites students to drop in during the following hours to say hello, talk about any topic–your academic experience, your campus experience, your concerns, your interests–and learn more about what's going on around campus, or request information and resources.

He looks forward to talking with you!

Spring 2022

Mondays between 5 and 6 pm:
April 4
April 11 
May 2
May 9

Wednesdays between 11 am and 12 pm:
April 6
April 13
April 20
May 4
May 11

Friday from 3 to 4 pm:
May 13


Karnell's office is within the Student Life office located in Eliot Hall Room 218.

Questions? Please contact the Student Life Office or call us at 503-517-7396.


Karnell “Dr. K” McConnell-Black, Ed.D.

Dr. Karnell McConnell-Black (he/him), better known as Dr. K,  is the vice president for student life at the college.  He has over 14+ years of experience in higher education. Dr. K has a bachelor’s degree in communication, a master’s in education, and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy. He identifies as a queer Black cis-gender male and hails from Dallas, Texas. As the first in his family to attend college, Dr. K has committed his life and career to supporting students from minoritize and underserved communities. When he is not working, Dr. K spends his time watching HGTV and BRAVO with his husband Kelly, playing with his Miniature Schnauzer, Charlie, and developing his new found woodworking skills.

Professionally, Dr. K has served in a variety of roles including coordinator of orientation and first-year programs at Loyola University Chicago; director of student involvement, leadership, and orientation; and vice president of student affairs and dean of students at Westminster College. He also serves as the immediate past president for the Association of Orientation, Transition, and Retention in Higher Education (NODA).

Dr. K’s professional philosophy is guided by an inclusive excellence praxis that centers the student experience as fundamental in defining the success of the institution (Kuh et al., 2005). As a result, he brings a focus to how senior-level administrators balance the market needs of institutional sustainability and the impact of student-centric measures that enhance a student’s ability to navigate the world post-college. Additionally, he illuminates the meaning-making processes that underserved students engage in when navigating non-academic elements of college (i.e. outside of class college experiences).