On March 31, 2026, Vice President for Student Affairs Darnell Parker visited SGA’s Senate meeting and answered a variety of questions regarding changes in student involvement on campus, the relationship between the student body and administration, and the identity of Wheaton as a community.
Parker is one of many administrative figures to attend a Senate meetings this semester. Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Zachary Irish, Assistant Dean of Residential Life Tim Jordan, Associate Director of Residential Life Lyndsey Aguilar, and Dining Director Christopher Rousseau have all paid SGA members a visit in recent months.
The first question for Parker came from Chairelect of Student Alumni Affairs Katelyn Spader ’27, who asked what he has noticed about changes in student involvement around campus this academic year as opposed to others.
“What I will say over my five years here at Wheaton is that I have seen changes from students being overly engaged to now kind of being non-existent in engagement,” Parker stated. “I have seen students in my office stressed beyond belief because they’re concerned about things that are out of their control.”
He prefaced that the student body changes drastically every three years, making it difficult to compare levels of engagement without considering the change in demographics.
Class of 2027 Chair Sriya Bodapati ’27 followed up by asking Parker what SGA as well as what administrators can do to promote and boost student engagement.
“Research has shown that you get more action from your peers initiating something”, Parker noted. “So what I will say to you is, to get more people involved in engagement, do more fun things.”
As the conversation continued, Senate members asked Parker questions about collecting student feedback, changes to academic curriculum, and his thoughts on the identity of the college as a whole.
“How would you describe Wheaton College’s identity right now,” posed Spader, “and how do you see that identity developing in a vague future?”
Parker directed the question back at Senators, asking how they would define the school’s identity as the student body.
“We’re known for being inclusive and we’re known for our community”, said SGA President Elizabeth McKinley ’26. “We’re known for our compass curriculum and we’re known for being welcoming to everybody on this campus.”
“That is what probably 655 other college campuses and universities say about themselves,” Parker responded.
“I moved out here and had never heard about Wheaton before I came here,” said SGA Vice President Sara Milesi ’27. She described how when visiting Providence, RI. in a Wheaton sweatshirt during her first week living on campus, a number of people approached her with enthusiasm about the school and its community. Milesi assured the group that Wheaton’s identity is both strong and unique from other colleges and universities.
“I want you to know you absolutely have a track record,” she asserted. “This school is known for breeding excellent students, strong leaders, social justice advocates, and there is a huge sense across the country that this school breeds amazing people.”
SGA Senate meetings take place every Tuesday from 5-7 p.m. and are open for all students to attend.