Staff

Brian L. Watkins, M.Ed.
Director
bwatkins@umd.edu

Brian has been director of Parent and Family Affairs at the University of Maryland since January 2005. While at Maryland, he has overseen the expansion of parent programs and services within the Division of Student Affairs and has been instrumental in helping Student Affairs and various academic departments develop a more cohesive approach to working with parents. Brian is a contributor to stories in local and national media regarding the parents of college students and has been featured in Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine and on NBC's Today Show. Currently, he serves as Vice Chair of the Association of Higher Education Parent/Family Program Professionals (AHEPPP) Board of Directors. He is frequently asked to consult with colleges and universities on creating partnerships with parents. In July 2007, he worked on a project for the United Kingdom's Government Department of Education.

Before joining the Division of Student Affairs at Maryland, Brian served as assistant director of Academic Enhancement at DePaul University (IL). Prior to that time, he was the director of campus activities and student involvement at Arcadia University (PA). While at Arcadia, Brian also served as adjunct professor in sociology and held a special appointment from the university president on the Affirmative Action Committee.

Brian earned a Master of Education degree in higher education and student affairs administration from The University of Vermont and a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude in psychology from Hope College (MI). Brian was the recipient of the 1999-2000 Outstanding New Professional Award from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Region II, and was a nominee for the 2000 C. Shaw Smith New Professional Award from the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA). He is a published author on diversity issues in higher education, and is known for his engaging and humorous parent presentations.

In addition to his professional responsibilities, Brian is the chapter counselor for Beta Theta Pi Fraternity at the University of Maryland and is also active in the local community. He served two terms on the Board of Directors for Rainbow Families DC, a non-profit organization for LGBT parents, prospective parents and their families. He was also the chair of the Team DC Student Scholarship Committee, providing scholarships to college-bound, LGBT student-athletes in the Washington, D.C. Metro area. Brian and his partner are the proud parents of a son, who was welcomed to their family in November 2009.

Zimri Diaz
Coordinator, Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
zimri@umd.edu