“I hope that every student who comes here squeezes the USF St. Pete sponge dry and gets as much out of their experience here as makes sense and works for them,” Jacob Diaz, Dean of Students at USFSP, told The Crow’s Nest.
Photo courtesy of USF
By Secilia Ruiz
After 12 years as the Dean of Students at the University of Florida St. Petersburg, Jacob Diaz is resigning.
Diaz’s last day is on May 15; he will then serve as the inaugural assistant vice president and dean of Students at the University of Maryland.
Diaz described his time as dean of students as a “dream come true.”
“I was given so much by my dean of students as an undergraduate student, and I thought that if it would be possible someday for me to do the same and help a student and a student body achieve their aspirations and dreams, what a gift of a career that could be,” he said.
While living this dream, Diaz stated that he has been stretched and pulled in ways he never thought possible and has learned a lot in the process.
“[Students] taught me that I need to work at being brutally honest with myself every day,” Dr. Diaz said. “Because I think students expect, rightfully so, that I’m showing up on their behalf every day, in a way that speaks to their experience, not mine.”
Dr. Diaz emphasized that as he moves on to this new endeavor, he will still hold tight to the fond memories he has with USF St. Petersburg students.
“Students make my heart feel lighter. And they make my mind sharp… I will miss that. I will miss people. I think people make a place. And it’s special here. It feels special to me. And I’m also simultaneously excited about the professional opportunity I’ll get to have,” Diaz told The Crow’s Nest.
Diaz’s impact is felt by his colleagues in the Student Life and Engagement department.
Kyonna Henry, the director of student life and engagement, highlighted Diaz’s people-centered approach to his leadership as dean of students.
“He had a way of navigating challenges with thoughtfulness and transparency, and he always kept student impact at the center of everything,” Henry said. “His leadership style is something I’ll carry with me moving forward.”
Similarly, Abigail Bradley-Tyler, the assistant director for student life and engagement at USF Petersburg, told The Crow’s Nest that she will miss Diaz’s transparency and openness as an administrator.
“He’s one of those admins that you could feel comfortable going to his office and sitting down, having a cup of coffee with him, and [asking], ‘What is going on?’ … And he’ll be honest with you. Which I really appreciate, because I value transparency a lot,” Bradley-Tyler said.
Along with his professional legacy, Diaz also made a personal mark on both Henry and Bradley-Tyler.
According to Bradley-Tyler, Diaz was a mentor throughout her journey pursuing a Ph.D.
“He was one of the first professionals to really challenge me and encourage me to do the last five years of schooling,” she said. “Personally, having him as a supporter in this journey has been wonderful for me. He’s just so kind [and] supportive.”
Henry stated that working under a supervisor as authentic and open as Dr. Diaz allowed her to grow and feel confident in her position as Director of Student Life and Engagement.
“On a personal level, I appreciated how approachable and authentic he was,” Henry told The Crow’s Nest. “He created space for honest conversations, encouraged new ideas, and trusted his team to lead. That kind of trust-built confidence and made me feel empowered in my role.”
Other students also expressed that they’ll miss Diaz’s leadership and character.
Elena Mere, a senior business analytics and information systems major is a student-worker at the Office of Veteran Success and the treasurer of the Latin American Student Association – where Diaz serves as the advisor – and has worked closely with Diaz throughout her time at USF St. Petersburg.
“I feel like he is somebody who really cares about students,” Mere said. “I would say I can tell with him, more than any other faculty, that he is very honest and empathetic and really cares about our experience, so I was sad when I found out he was leaving…but also, I’m happy for him.”
With Diaz’s departure, Mere wonders if there will be another approachable figure in the administration for students to come to about issues and feel heard.
“I feel like now that he’s gone, it’s like, ‘Okay, who can we talk to about this?” Mere said. “That’s going to be a little difficult, just the unknown of knowing that maybe we won’t have someone we can rely on. I’m definitely going to miss that and I’m just going to miss his presence.”
