After five years of service, Stephen Dominy, Coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, is moving on.
Dominy announced publicly via an Instagram post that he is taking his skills to Texas Christian University to serve as the Associate Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life.
In his post, he discusses how he heard of APSU, how he earned his position here and how he fell in love with the university.
“Austin Peay has given me the space, the resources and the people to strive, thrive and mature as a person and professional. Austin Peay became not just a campus but a family,” Dominy said.
In his post, he also expressed excitement for his new chapter in life he will soon be embarking on.
“To my new family at TCU, I am excited to join the team with my enriched knowledge of how to effectively support the fraternity and sorority community in ways that make one of the most impact collegiate experiences,” Dominy said.
He explained why he’s ready to move on and why he feels APSU is too.
“I am leaving because this new opportunity is giving me more responsibility while I strive to advance in higher education. TCU is a unique place that invest in the student experience far beyond what I have seen. This new experience will allow me to supervisor staff, work with a growing community, and navigate new opportunities,” Dominy said. “Austin Peay will always be a unique place but I also realize that it is time for new eyes on the community to advance it further.”
Samantha Espinoza, Panhellenic President, describes her initial reaction to hearing of Dominy’s departure as a mix of emotions.
“I’ve looked up to Stephen as a mentor for the past three years, but I know this new position is going to be an amazing opportunity for him to continue his personal development,” Espinoza said.
Dominy graduated from Mercer University in 2009 where he received his BBA in Integrative Marketing Communications. After traveling as a fraternity consultant for Chi Phi Fraternity, he went on to graduate school at Florida State University where he received his masters in higher education and student affairs.
In 2011, he interviewed for an internship at APSU and fell in love with the campus, community and student body. By 2014, he joined APSU as Coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs.
He currently serves as the Southeastern Interfraternity Council (SEIFC) Associate Executive Director and Staff Senate President.
“The amount Stephen Dominy has contributed to the Austin Peay community cannot be put into a short amount of words. He has inspired others to become leaders, even if they did not see it in themselves. He always had an open door policy for any student to come to him if they needed any help,” Espinoza said.
As Dominy moves into a new era, so does APSU.
Victor Felts, Associate Dean of Students, Director of Student Life and Engagement and Interim Coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, discussed what the process of finding Dominy’s new replacement looks like.
“We will conduct a national search to find the best-qualified candidate to continue the work Stephen has started and bring new ideas and experience to Austin Peay,” Felts said.
Similar to the search for a new Vice President of Student Affairs, which occurred in the Fall Semester of 2018, APSU will conduct a national search for the most qualified candidates who will then be invited to campus for a series of interviews with members of the National Panhellenic Council, Panhellenic Council, Interfraternity Council, Student Affairs professionals, Student Life and Engagement staff, fraternity and sorority chapter presidents, faculty advisors and chapter advisors.
This is akin to the search committee who oversaw the selection of Eric Norman as the new Vice President of Student Affairs. That committee comprised of various students, faculty and staff connected to Student Affairs, including Stephen Dominy.
Additionally, public forums allowed the general APSU community to weigh in on the candidates.
“The people who come to the forums have the opportunity to weigh in on the candidate. Them being able to interface with the campus community is certainly a good way to see how they would interact with the people that they will be working with on a regular basis and the people that they will be serving,” Danelle Whiteside, general counsel for APSU’s Office of Legal Affairs and head of the search committee for the Vice President of Student Affairs, said. “So, it’s two-fold, allowing them to see us and allowing us to see them.”
In the end, APSU President Alisa White reviews all of the feedback regarding the candidates and decides among them.
“It is our hope to have a new person start by June 1,” Felts said.
However, when searching out the new Vice President of Student Affairs it was nearly a year before a candidate was chosen who accepted the position.
After a failed search in the spring, the search committee brought in a search firm to help them find qualified candidates to their success.
It is as of now uncertain whether or not a search firm will be employed in the hunt for a new Coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs.
“I am excited for the new Coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Life. It is always a great opportunity to get a new perspective to create change,” Espinoza said.
Dominy is also excited at the prospect of change.
“This will be an opportunity for students to have a voice in my replacement – I hope that they find someone who invests in students like I continue to do. The student voice is crucial in higher education and allowing their voice to become action is critical to the advancement of this campus and fraternity and sorority community,” Dominy said.
Separate of the search for Dominy’s replacement, search committees abound as the search committee for the Dean of the College of Arts & Letters locks down four candidates for consideration, among them the Interim Dean for the College of Arts & Letters, Barry Jones.
As APSU moves forward, welcoming new faces, the school will take time to remember Dominy’s legacy and honor his work in a celebration on Friday, March 15 at 3:30 p.m. in the MUC room 307.
Mark your calendars as we celebrate the end of an era at @austinpeay with the Farewell Party of @StephenDDominy pic.twitter.com/TiqR3Yk3SH
— Austin Peay Greeks (@apsuGREEKS) March 8, 2019
Updated on Mar. 14, 2019 by News Editor Maisie Williams.
