MarQuita Barker, Ed.D., Will Join Davidson College as the Next Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students
March 19, 2025
- Contact
- Mark Johnson
MarQuita Barker, Ed.D
Barker, currently vice president for student development at Knox College, in Illinois, has enjoyed a career of roles with increasing responsibility that bring high-impact practices to college students.
Barker was impressed by the many ways Davidson helps students become part of the community and to connect what they gain in their college experience with where they see themselves in the world—and she is exhilarated to serve as Davidson’s vice president of student life and dean of students.
“At Davidson, I can do more of what I love,” she said. “There is such impressive innovation and creativity going on on campus, among the students, faculty and staff. The mission is as clear as the community’s commitment to it.”
She will join Davidson starting June 23.
"We are thrilled that Dr. MarQuita Barker has agreed to join the Davidson College leadership team. She brings wise judgment and a breadth of experience as a student-affairs professional—including in a vice-presidential role at a liberal arts college. She is well prepared and energized to help students thrive at Davidson. Dr. Barker’s leadership style combines a strategic eye for shaping the student experience with a deep commitment to knowing and supporting each individual student."
Barker grew up in Halifax, Virginia, a town on the south side of Virginia with a population of less than 2,000. Old Dominion University, 170 miles away in Norfolk, offered opportunity when Barker headed there to study physical therapy. She worked as a residence hall adviser and a peer educator to help pay her way through school. Another campus job in the development office connected her with a mentor, and in short order, she was intrigued by the idea of working in higher education and helping students.
Crediting her career pathway to role models she had in college, Barker said: “You really need someone to help shepherd you through the process. I wanted to do that for students because someone did that for me.”
Barker earned a masters in education at ODU and took a job in residence life at Elon University, in North Carolina. She moved up in the student life organization, ultimately to assistant dean, and earned an MBA to better understand the business side of higher education. She went on to earn her doctorate in leadership from Vanderbilt University.
Knox, a liberal arts college featured in the popular guidebook Colleges that Change Lives, intensified the value for Barker of the close connections that fuel a great education. Her job at Knox prepared her well for Davidson with responsibility across: residence life, community service, health and counseling, intercultural life, career services, international student services and spiritual life. Barker even spent ten months as the interim dean of admission.
Barker’s career has moved her toward smaller institutions and the high-impact practices for student success that are possible on campuses like Davidson that are highly residential. “We were able to connect with each other in a different way,” Barker said. “I saw a difference in living on campus, being closer to places such as the library and the dining hall – that casual interaction made a difference in the atmosphere and the strength of the community.”
A group of Davidson students who met with her helped close the deal to head to Davidson.
“They are so smart and so talented,” Barker said. “They just seem like they are preparing to bring some good into the world.”
Barker will be joined in Davidson by her husband, Robert Barker; their daughter, Isley, 12; and their son, Ian, who is 11.
