Dr. Zebulun Davenport is the Vice President for Student Affairs at West Chester University.  He provides leadership to multiple units that positively impact students’ lives on campus.  Davenport earned a Doctorate in Higher Education and Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, a Master of Education in College Student Personnel Administration, and a Bachelor of Science in Communications/Public Relations with a minor in Human Services from James Madison University.

Davenport’s primary goal is student success.  His contributions have advanced campus culture, organizational structure, and student achievement.  Davenport is a leader and strategist who demonstrates care and concern while maximizing opportunities for all involved.  His expertise includes the areas of student retention; student learning outcomes; assessment; strategic planning; and strategies for assisting first generation college students.

Regarded for his work in the aforementioned areas, he is co-creator of the Changing Institutional Retention through Co-Curricular Learning Experiences (CIRCLE) Model which engages and links co-curricular service providers in academic and student affairs in a systemic collegial process of institution-wide service delivery.  In 2011, NASPA distinguished the model as first place winner of the Gold Excellence Award recognizing contributions of members who are transforming higher education through outstanding programs, innovative services, and effective administration.

Davenport’s publications include co-editing two books entitled; Student Affairs Assessment, Evaluation, and Research: A Guidebook for Graduate Students and New Professionals and Developing Leadership Skills and Abilities for Student Affairs Administrators: “Lesson Letters to and from our Colleagues”. He also co-authored the following publications: First-Generation College Students – Understanding and Improving the Experience from Recruitment to Commencement; two chapters in edited volumes entitled Recruiting, Selecting, Supervising, and Retaining Staff, in McClellan, G. H., Stringer, J. and Associates (Eds.) The Handbook of Student Affairs Administration, and The Student Success Conundrum, in B. Bontrager (Ed.) Strategic Enrollment Management: Transforming Higher Education; and a chapter in an edited monograph entitled Creating Collaborative Conditions for Student Success in S. Whalen (Ed.) Proceedings of the 8th National Symposium on Student Retention 2012.  He has presented at workshops for numerous public agencies; educational institutions; state, regional, and national conferences; as well as to thousands of college students and professionals throughout his career.