HFC Board appoints Daniel Herbst as Vice President for Student Affairs
At its January 16 meeting, the Henry Ford College Board of Trustees appointed Dr. Daniel R. Herbst as the College's new Vice President of Student Affairs. His appointment will be effective Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018.
Currently, Herbst is the Dean of Student Development at Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) in Chandler, AZ, which is part of the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD), one of the largest community college systems in the nation. He has worked at CGCC for nearly seven years, where he’s also served as the Dean of Student Affairs.
A veteran of higher education of more than 30 years, Herbst, an Illinois native, has 16 years of direct experience managing community college enrollment. At CGCC, he was responsible for improving academic and student services in an effort to contribute to overall student success. He has served as a Title IX investigator, student conduct code investigator, chairman of the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT), and a member of the Crisis Intervention Management Team (CIMT).
Herbst’s career in student affairs began in 1994 at Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL), MO, where he served as Health Awareness Program Director and Interim Coordinator of Disabled Student Services. He extrapolated his experiences as an alcohol and drug counselor – positions he held before his return to academics – to develop a University Health Awareness Program at WUSTL, which provided HIV counseling, HIV testing, and various drug and alcohol programs for students. Under his leadership, WUSTL launched its first, award-winning “substance-free” residence hall.
From 1998-2004, Herbst worked at Kaskaskia College (KC) in Centralia, IL, where his highest position was Dean of Enrollment Services. At KC, he co-developed a program called Core Values 101: Students Teaching Students, a theater-based student group that provided participants an ethical decision-making model. The National Council on Student Development presented this program with the Terry O’Banion Shared Journey First Place Award.
He returned to Missouri in 2004 and worked at St. Louis Community College-Meramec (STLCC-Meramec). During his four years at STLCC-Meramec, Herbst served as the Dean of Admissions, Registration, & Financial Aid; Acting Dean of Student Support Services; and Acting Vice President of Student Affairs.
From 2009-11, Herbst worked at Phoenix College (PC) in Phoenix, AZ, serving as the Dean of Students, as well as the Interim Vice President of Student Affairs. There, he played an integral role in the redesign and expansion of PC’s Hannelly Center, a one-stop enrollment and student center.
“My professional objective has always been supporting the people who work in student affairs and helping them understand their roles as educators,” said Herbst. “Student affairs staff must be in a supportive environment to effectively assist students. It is important to have a space in the student affairs office to welcome students and support them as they move through the system. It is equally important for student affairs staff to be involved in the design of the space and the implementation of processes, so they will have ownership in their responsibilities.”
A two-time alumnus of Illinois State University (ISU) in Normal, IL, Herbst earned an undergraduate degree in business administration and a graduate degree in counseling and higher education. He earned his doctorate in community college leadership from Ferris State University (FSU) in Big Rapids, MI.
“FSU’s doctoral program provided me with a solid understanding of the community college system in Michigan and prepared me for the next stage in my career,” said Herbst. “Several of my peers from FSU have told me that HFC is a wonderful place to work. I am very honored to have been chosen for this position at HFC. This is a great opportunity. My wife and I are looking forward to this new chapter in our lives, and exploring another area of the country. Michigan is a beautiful state. We like to travel, and we intend to explore the state from one end to another.”
Aside from his student affairs expertise, Herbst is a certified correctional instructor through the Florida Department of Corrections; a substance abuse counselor through the Illinois Certification Board; an HIV pre-test and post-test counselor through the Missouri Department of Health; a professional in residence through the Betty Ford Center in Palm Springs, CA; and a certified ethical fitness trainer through the Institute for Global Ethics in Camden, MA.
“After an exhaustive search and on behalf of the Henry Ford College community, I would like to offer a warm welcome to Dr. Herbst as Vice President of Student Affairs at the College,” said HFC Interim President John Satkowski. “The selection committee was very impressed by his extensive experience in higher education, advising, and the community college sector in particular. I have no doubt that Dan will be an invaluable asset to the College.”