Rachel E. Aho, Ph.D., Director of Housing in Student Affairs at the University of Utah, will serve as the 85th president of American College Personnel Association (ACPA): College Student Educators International. Aho is the first ACPA President from the University of Utah. Her term will begin in March 2024 at the ACPA Convention in Chicago, Illinois.

“ACPA is delighted that members selected Dr. Rachel Aho to serve as the Association’s 85th President,” said Chris Moody, executive director of ACPA. “Her previous service and leadership within the organization make her the perfect leader to propel higher education and student affairs as we begin our second century of supporting college students’ work and the professional development and community engagement of scholars and practitioners. I am beyond ecstatic to work directly with Rachel in supporting her vision in her year as ACPA President.”

For Aho, being the president of an organization committed to serving student affairs educators is both an honor and a career highlight.

“I am excited to begin my term as the President of ACPA-College Student Educator’s International,” said Aho. “ACPA has always served as my professional home, and to serve in this way is incredibly meaningful. ACPA offers higher education professionals access to top-tier scholarship, content-rich professional development, and an international network of colleagues. I encourage staff at The University of Utah to take part in celebrating our anniversary over the coming year and take full advantage of the resources ACPA provides.”

Founded in 1924, ACPA celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Their mission is to transform higher education by creating and sharing influential scholarship, shaping critically reflective practice, and advocating for equitable and inclusive learning environments. The organization serves more than 5,500 individual members and 320 institutional members.

“Rachel’s outstanding contributions extend far beyond Student Affairs to encompass the entire university community, said Lori McDonald, University of Utah Vice President for Student Affairs. “Her passion, visionary leadership, and unwavering commitment to advancing higher education and student affairs make her the ideal candidate to lead ACPA forward. We are truly beyond proud of Dr. Aho for this well-deserved honor and have every confidence that she will inspire and empower scholars and practitioners alike.”

Aho earned her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy at the U. She holds a master’s degree in College Student Personnel from Western Illinois University and has over 14 years of experience in student affairs and housing. She currently serves as the director of Housing at the University of Utah. In this role, she leads efforts to advance marketing, assessment, operations, event services, information technology, strategic planning, and human resource areas. Aho has taught in the Undergraduate Studies leadership minor program and is a frequent guest lecturer for student affairs graduate programs across the country.

Within ACPA, Aho has served as Chair of the Commission on Campus Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Assembly Coordinator on the ACPA Governing Board, and was named a 2020 ACPA Diamond Honoree. She is also a co-author of ACPA’s ‘A Bold Vision Forward: A Framework for the Strategic Imperative for Racial Justice and Decolonization;’ a key student affairs publication. Aho’s ACPA presidency will conclude at the ACPA 2025 Convention in Long Beach, California, in February 2025.