Basso announces her departure from Lehigh after nearly 28 years

Sharon Basso, Lehigh’s associate vice provost of Student Affairs and dean of students, announced this week that she will be leaving Lehigh after nearly 28 years to accept the position of vice president of Student Affairs at Claremont McKenna College.  The college–one of the nation’s most highly regarded liberal arts institutions–is located about 35 miles east of Los Angeles.

Basso has spent her entire Lehigh career working on behalf of its students, providing key leadership on issues ranging from student support to program development to strategic planning and more. In her current role, she oversees 18 of the 22 departments within Student Affairs and is responsible for the management of nearly 60 professional, administrative and student staff.

“I feel extremely blessed to have spent so much time in such a special place,” Basso said. “The Lehigh students are exceptional young people filled with so much promise, and I've treasured the relationships I've formed with many over the years.  The student affairs division has been populated with some of the best, most talented and dedicated professionals in the nation, and they have been a pure joy to work with all these years. I will always hold Lehigh University, its students, my many staff members over the years, valued colleagues across campus and friends in the highest, most affectionate regard.”

Vice Provost of Student Affairs John Smeaton, who has worked alongside Basso for nearly three decades, described her as a “superb professional and even better person” who will be deeply missed by the Lehigh community.

“It is impossible to measure Sharon’s impact on students over the past 27 years,” Smeaton said. “For so many, their success at Lehigh and beyond can be attributed to her personal involvement – instilling life lessons, encouraging active participation in campus life and intervening in times of crisis. I will miss Sharon. Lehigh will miss her. And yet, I am so very proud that she has been appointed Vice President and Dean of Students at such a prestigious institution. Claremont McKenna College will be the beneficiary of her extraordinary talents.”

In her new role, Basso will provide leadership and vision for its division of student life and will be a significant partner to the president and senior leaders. Reporting to the president, serving on the president’s cabinet and directly supervising five assistant or associate deans, Basso will oversee most aspects of a student’s life outside of the classroom, including residential life, new student programs, student activities, civic engagement and service learning, disability support services, the discipline process, alcohol and other drug education and prevention, and coordination of the college’s response to crisis situations involving students.

“Sharon has dedicated her entire professional career to fostering the academic success and personal growth of college students,” said Hiram E. Chodosh, president of Claremont McKenna. “With over three decades of experience in student affairs, Sharon has an outstanding reputation as a trusted counselor and empathic supporter of students and is an innovative, strategic and effective leader in higher education. In her work with students, faculty and staff, she has been dedicated to the growth of a healthy, inclusive community.”

A stellar career

Basso’s move to Claremont McKenna represents a capstone experience following a stellar career in higher education.

A lifelong resident of the Lehigh Valley, Basso came to Lehigh in 1989 to serve as assistant dean of students. She had previously served as a psychological counselor, director of student activities and director of the first-year seminar course at Farleigh Dickinson University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology at Lafayette College, where she was a member of the women’s basketball team, and later received a Master of Science in college counseling and student development administration from Shippensburg University and her Ed.D. degree in educational leadership, administration and policy from the University of Delaware.

Basso was promoted to associate dean of students at Lehigh in 1996, and was named dean of students in 1999. She was named associate vice provost of Lehigh’s division of Student Affairs in 2006.

During her time here, she developed and implemented a student life curriculum, led student crisis management, served as Title IX deputy coordinator, advised the Student Senate and Council of Student Presidents, chaired the University Health Review Committee responsible for evaluation and response to student mental health emergencies and on-going case management and was a member of the Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees. She served as the committee chair for the current capital facilities building project that will restore and redesign the University Center into a true student center, and also facilitated the creation of a number of programs that have helped contribute to a safe, inclusive, healthy and vibrant living and learning environment at Lehigh.

In addition to several Tradition of Excellence Awards in recognition of outstanding performance and service, Basso is also the recipient of the 2005 Paul Franz Award, the 2002 Hillman Award and the 1998 Distinguished Service Award for her outstanding service to Lehigh. In late March, Basso was selected by the Women’s Center as one of the “25 Most Impressive Women Impacting Lehigh University,” on the occasion of the center’s 25^th anniversary.

“Sharon exudes integrity, compassion and professionalism,” Smeaton said. “She has earned the utmost respect from all of the colleagues, faculty, alumni, students and their families whose lives have been touched by her. She is without question one of the finest colleagues I have had in my entire career.”