Henry Odi '98G Named Deputy Vice President for Equity and Community and Associate Provost for Academic Diversity

Henry Odi ’98G, who brings three decades of experience at Lehigh in teaching, precollege/community engagement, recruiting, retaining and mentoring a more diverse faculty, staff and student body, has been named to the newly created position of Deputy Vice President for Equity and Community and Associate Provost for Academic Diversity.

Odi, who has served as Vice Provost for Academic Diversity since 2011, began his new role on July 1, 2017.

“Creating the new position of Deputy Vice President for Equity and Community and Associate Provost for Academic Diversity is a forward-looking step toward advancing a more welcoming and engaged campus. Filling this new role with someone of Henry Odi’s caliber greatly enhances our efforts for broader institutional transformation,” says Dr. Donald Outing, Vice President for Equity and Community (VPEC) and Chief Diversity Officer.

The new position, which reports to the Vice President for Equity and Community, was created to help Lehigh enhance and advance its efforts to innovatively transform institutional diversity, inclusion, equity and academic diversity. In his role, Odi will assist the VPEC and serve as liaison to all stake holders that have a direct impact on student and faculty affairs. Odi’s collaborative work will continue with ADVANCE Center for Women Faculty in STEM. Also, Odi will oversee the activities of the offices of Multicultural Affairs, Center for Gender Equity and Pride Center for Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity.

“Henry’s unwavering commitment to promoting academic diversity and his impressive record of success makes him an ideal person,” says Dr. Patrick Farrell, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “In his more than a quarter of a century here at Lehigh, he’s has formed strong and productive working relationships with a wide range of campus constituencies, including the Board of Trustees and alumni. He is knowledgeable of the academic and non-academic landscapes; he has also created and implemented a number of successful initiatives to further the cause of inclusivity and diversity.”

Adds Odi: “Lehigh University continues to enjoy great success in creating innovative initiatives for a truly welcoming and engaging campus. Lehigh is well positioned to be recognized as a national leader in innovative strategies to sustain and advance inclusive excellence.”

Over the years, Odi has taught students in the classroom, mentored faculty in the tenure and promotion process, has been faculty advisor to more than 30 successful graduate students and has raised funds to support undergraduate research and graduate fellowships. He is a two-time winner of Lehigh’s Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award.