Illinois State University College of Engineering will welcome Branden Delk as its first director of equity, diversity, inclusion, and student success, effective April 2, 2024. He will report to Dean Thomas Keyser.
Delk has served as coordinator of equity, diversity, and inclusion in Illinois State’s Admissions Office since August 2021. In this role, he developed and implemented on-campus recruitment programs targeting marginalized student populations and facilitated equity, diversity, and inclusion training with recruitment and admissions staff.
Delk previously served from 2015-2021 in the Admissions Office as senior admissions counselor and facilitated a student success course, “Thriving in College, Career and Beyond-IDS 128,” for first-year students.
“We are so fortunate to have someone of Branden’s skills and experience join us,” said Keyser. “Throughout his career he has demonstrated the ability to relate to students and serve as a champion for their success. We welcome him to the leadership team in the College of Engineering.”
Delk is active in several organizations on campus. He is a member of the President’s Diversity and Inclusion Council (DIAC), where he also is co-chair of the Underrepresented Student Engagement and Advocacy Subcommittee. He serves as Supporting, Opportunity, Actualization, and Realization (SOAR) Scholar Academy faculty/staff mentor and is president of the Association of Black Employees.
“I’m excited to start promoting the College of Engineering to middle schools, high schools, community-based organizations, community colleges, and other potential student pipeline sources,” said Delk.
“For so many years in the Office of Admissions, I’ve had to tell students and families that we didn’t have engineering. Now we get to tell them the opposite and they get to discover all the benefits of a Redbird education. One of my goals is to create the interpersonal and student-centered culture that ISU is known for within the new College of Engineering. To accomplish our mission of supporting a diverse body of engineering students, we have to ensure the infrastructure of belonging, community building, and student success are in place to make this their home away from home. I look forward to working with internal and external campus partners to bring that mission and vision to life for the faculty, staff, and students of the College of Engineering.”
Delk received a bachelor’s degree in marketing communications/business from Eastern Illinois University, a master’s degree in communications studies from Northern Illinois University, and currently is pursuing a doctorate in educational administration and foundations – higher education administration at Illinois State.
