Lori White

Clinical Professor

Ph.D., Stanford University

Lori S. White is the Vice President for Student Affairs at Southern Methodist University, a position she has held since 2007. She also serves as clinical professor in the SMU Simmons School of Education. Prior to her arrival at SMU, she served as Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at the University of Southern California and has also worked at Stanford, Georgetown and San Diego State Universities and the University of California, Irvine.

At SMU, Dr. White and her colleagues are responsible for student life programs including residence halls; women's, multi-cultural, volunteer and leadership programs; student conduct; campus ministries; health and wellness programs; career services; the Hughes-Trigg Student Center and the Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports.

Dr. White is active nationally in several higher education organizations and serves on the Board of Directors for the Association for Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and for the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Foundation.

Dr. White’s areas of emphasis in research and teaching include the student experience in higher education and the preparation and mentorship of new, mid-level and aspiring senior student affairs professionals. She is the author of a number of articles and book chapters and has presented widely at professional meetings.

Dr. White was born and raised in San Francisco, CA. She earned an undergraduate degree in psychology and English from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. from Stanford University in education administration and policy analysis with emphasis in higher education. She also participated in Harvard University's Management and Leadership in Education Program.