October 1, 2025
The journey David N. Gachigo, M.P.A. ’10G, ’25Ph.D. undertook to St. John’s University was long and circuitous, but a satisfying one that placed him exactly where he belongs.
A native of Nairobi, Kenya, Mr. Gachigo has held several administrative positions of increasing responsibility at St. John’s on different campuses and was recently named Dean of Students. For almost 20 years, he has been a welcome, comforting presence to incoming and current students.
Mr. Gachigo’s entire career at St. John’s has focused on student success; it is a role for which he is uniquely positioned. He came to the US as an international student. He was welcomed, and he adapted. He brings a wealth of insight and empathy to his work with students, something he considers more of a vocation than a career.
“Ever since I set foot in this institution, I’ve been connected with students,” he observed.
After high school, Mr. Gachigo became interested in the tourism industry, as Kenya is well known for safaris and wildlife excursions. He took a course in travel operations and eventually found his way to an institution known as the School of Field Studies, which was affiliated with Boston University.
“They had an institute in Kenya called the Center for Wildlife Management located on this large, private ranch,” he recalled. “I did a program there called Community Wildlife Management. Right after that, I started applying for similar courses in the States. Growing up, for me, there was always something about America.”
He was accepted to the University of Montana in the Wildlife Biology program. “I showed up in January in the middle of winter wearing a polo shirt,” he said, smiling. Eventually, the shock of cold weather wore off, and Mr. Gachigo found a home there.
“It was the best experience ever,” he stressed.
Far from feeling like a stranger, Mr. Gachigo immersed himself in a thriving campus life, becoming a representative for student government and a resident assistant, roles that would foreshadow his trajectory at St. John’s and shift him away from wildlife studies.
Mr. Gachigo enjoyed his role as a Resident Assistant, eventually becoming Head Resident. The building for which he was responsible housed more than 300 students.
“Here I was an international student elected to student government, so I was representing my fellow students,” he explained. “There was a lot of involvement, and I was very engaged.” At the same time, he worked in the events office of their Department of Athletics.
“All of that played a big role in my formative years,” he said. “Being involved, connecting and seeing the need, sparked my interest in working with students.”
After completing his undergraduate degree, he continued at the University of Montana, eventually earning his master’s degree in Public Administration. Mr. Gachigo wanted to stay in the US and began applying for positions in higher education. He was a finalist for a position at another institution, but ultimately chose St. John’s. One of his primary motivations for working at St. John’s was its Vincentian mission.
“One thing that appealed to me was the number of students coming here that might not otherwise afford a college education,” he stressed.
Since 2005, Mr. Gachigo has worked in various roles for the Division of Student Affairs at the Queens, Manhattan, and former Staten Island campuses, always with an emphasis on making each student who comes into his orbit feel welcome, heard, and understood. He takes his role as an administrative point of contact for them very seriously, always harkening back to when he found himself thousands of miles from home.
Now St. John’s University is also home.
Understanding the mission and integrating it into everything he does has been essential for his own success, Mr. Gachigo related. “Many students, domestic and international, have called St. John’s home. You see their growth from the time they arrive until they walk across that stage at Commencement. That is what has kept me here.”
Mr. Gachigo enjoyed his time at all three campuses. “Each campus was very different. Queens is a huge campus, that is very diverse, and the other two were very niche. They were specific in terms of their needs and the communities were smaller. Manhattan had a very international flavor, while Staten Island was very local and everyone in the community seemed to know each other.”
His dedication to the mission intensified through his participation in the Vincentian Mission Institute (VMI). He has participated in direct service to the poor, joining Midnight Runs and volunteering at soup kitchens and the annual Hunger Banquet organized by Campus Ministry.
“Through these initiatives I became closer to my colleagues, and through VMI, I came to a deeper understanding of the mission. As the number of Vincentians decreases, you need people who understand the mission and can keep it alive.”
His new role integrates much of what he has done before, only at a higher level. “For me, it’s always been about supporting students. My immediate goal is to do it better. I will continue advocating for them. Each class is different from the last. We have to understand trends and be creative in how we support them. A lot is changing in the education landscape. It’s about how best to support them.”
A positive and empathetic presence wherever he goes, Mr. Gachigo was honored in 2022 with the Vincentian Mission Award, given to administrators who exemplify a sustained commitment to the University’s mission. “We are training the next generation of leaders and they need guidance and mentorship,” he said. “What distinguishes St. John’s students is the word ‘opportunity.’ They might not go to college without the St. John’s opportunity.”
Often Mr. Gachigo will cross paths with a student in crisis, when need is most keenly felt. He leads with empathy. “Down the road, this is someone who could be the next chief executive officer of a big corporation,” he said.
In those moments, he recalls his challenges faced and the individuals who guided him along the way. “Wherever you go, you think about the institution you left behind and how you pay it forward,” he reflected.