Sarah Jean Kelly, J.D., was appointed Vice President for Student Success and Retention Strategy in September of 2022. She oversees all aspects of student success, including the Division of Student Affairs, the Freshman Center, and Academic Engagement and Partnerships. She is a member of the University’s senior management group and implements new strategic initiatives and executive projects to enable St. John’s to better serve its diverse student population.
Ms. Kelly joined St. John’s University School of Law in June 2016 as the Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies, overseeing the law school’s LL.M. and Legal English programs, and over the past six years she has served in several different leadership roles. Prior to her current role, Ms. Kelly was the Vice Dean for Administration at the School of Law, where she had oversight of student services, academic programs, academic centers and institutes, academic and faculty support services, special events, and marketing and communications. She has extensive experience in successfully creating a student-centered culture and has a deep and demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion.
Before joining the St. John’s community, she spent eight years at Georgetown University. Ms. Kelly began her time at Georgetown working in career education for undergraduate students, then spent several years at Georgetown Law where, among other responsibilities, she oversaw graduate academic programs. She began her career in higher education as an undergraduate admissions counselor at Wellesley College.
Ms. Kelly earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Wellesley College, her Master of Education degree in Social Foundations from the University of Virginia, and her Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center.
She lives on Long Island with her wife and their two children.