Gene Zdziarski will join DePaul as the new vice president of student affairs on July 1, Interim Provost Patricia O’Donoghue announced Friday, Feb. 28 in an email.

Zdziarski comes from Roanoke College, a private liberal arts college, where he was the vice president for student affairs and dean of students. He has more than 25 years of experience in higher education and has previously worked at the University of Florida and Texas A&M.

He replaces Cindy Summers who held the interim position since June 2012 following Jim Doyle’s retirement. Previously, Summers served as the Associate Vice President for Student Advocacy and Community Relations at DePaul.

“Due to her capable leadership, Student Affairs has not missed a beat in serving our students,” O’Donoghue said in the email. A search committee led by Rev. Edward Udovic interviewed several candidates for the position.

“Gene received high marks in the interview process for his success in buildings relationships across the institutions he has served and for his emphasis on collaboration,” O’Donoghue said.

Zdziarski fills one of the four current interim high-level positions in DePaul’s administration.