McElderry, the dean of student inclusive excellence and an assistant professor at Elon, will become the first Elon staff member to be selected to lead the national association of student affairs professionals.
Jonathan A. McElderry, dean of student inclusive excellence and assistant professor, has been elected to serve as the 86th President of ACPA – College Student Educators International, becoming the first Elon staff member to lead the national association of student affairs professionals.
ACPA members selected McElderry as president-elect during its leadership elections in November and he will begin his term in March at the association’s annual convention. Following a year of service as president-elect, McElderry will begin his one-year term as president in March 2025.
“We are excited to support Jonathan in this important role with one of the major student affairs professional associations,” said Jon Dooley, vice president of student life and associate professor of education at Elon. “He’s going to be an exceptional leader for ACPA at this critical time in our profession, and we know his leadership in this national capacity will also have positive impact on Elon’s Division of Student Life and the students we serve.”
Founded in 1924 as the American College Personnel Association and now boasting more than 6,500 members, ACPA strives to advance student affairs, engage students and provide professional development for individuals within student affairs.
As president, McElderry will be the senior elected officer, responsible for guiding ACPA’s Leadership Council and the Administrative Council in the stewardship of the association. The president oversees the implementation of the educational, legislative, operational and management objectives of the councils, serves as an official spokesperson and liaison for ACPA to other associations, and assists with the association’s fundraising efforts, among other duties.
“As we venture into the next century for the association, my goal during my tenure is to persistently work towards cultivating future leaders in higher education and student affairs, advancing practitioner-focused scholarship to enhance the higher education environment, advocating for the association and its members, and effectively implementing the new governance structure, all while maintaining the routine operations of the association,” McElderry said.
McElderry joined Elon in March 2022 after serving as assistant dean of students and executive director of the Intercultural Center at Wake Forest University. At Elon, he is responsible for leading student-centered initiatives to achieve the Boldly Elon goals to advance a more diverse, equitable and inclusive community. He has established an exceptional track record of leadership, deep experience with diversity and inclusion initiatives, and excellent training and facilitation skills. McElderry’s contributions to student affairs and student development include over 11 chapters and articles published, more than 40 conference presentations and has secured contracts for three forthcoming edited books. He is the recipient of multiple national and local awards for his work in the realm of student affairs.
McElderry has been heavily involved within ACPA since 2009, including serving on the governing board as the director of equity and inclusion from 2020 to 2023. He was named a 2023 ACPA Foundation Diamond Honoree
and has served as the faculty lead for the Summit for Black Student Affairs Professionals, the chair for the Pan African Network, and the Coalition for Multicultural Affairs and a Scholar in Residence within the Multiracial Network.
McElderry is a graduate of George Mason University and earned his master’s of education in college student personnel from Ohio University. He received his doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Missouri.