Joanne Hyppolite, Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management
In the quiet early days of January, something changed on the fifth floor. While most of the building was silently waiting for the surge of faculty and students that would signal the start of the semester, the corner office in Student Affairs was experiencing a seismic shift. On the walls are new paintings, one an abstract interplay of bright primary colors and bold lines that cut across the canvas, the other a portrait in profile, its subject wearing turquoise spectacles and exhaling a neon-pink bubble, a burst of easy joy. On the shelves are bright stacks of books on counseling, assessment, law and inclusive leadership. And at the desk is Dr. Joanne Hyppolite, a convergence of passion, expertise and visionary spirit bringing a new approach to student success at CUNY Law.
Hyppolite began the spring semester as the Law School’s first Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, an updated twist that aims to connect all parts of the student journey. The idea is to affect change that will cut across the institution, from students’ experience of recruitment and matriculation to their onboarding and support structures and all the way to graduation beyond, including bar study and career opportunities. A tall order, but when asked about the enormity of the challenge, Hyppolite beams.
“This inaugural role is an exciting and wonderful opportunity to reimagine the academic life cycle of a law student and perhaps redefine student success. I am interested in identifying the gaps, understanding the challenges and partnering with colleagues to develop signature initiatives that impact persistence, retention and graduation rates—and beyond.”
Hyppolite oversees multiple departments, including Admissions, Pipeline Initiatives, Financial Aid, Student Affairs and Career Planning. From where she sits, this newly created division will provide new vantage points from which to see how, after the Law School’s significant growth over the past decade, operations and processes can be brought up to scale to best serve our mission and students.
“I definitely look at data to help inform my decisions. Data tells us stories and enables us to identify trends—those recurring patterns, that we are not paying attention to. We can leverage that information to strategically move us in the direction we want to go.”
Previously the Associate Dean within the College of Arts & Science at New York University, Hyppolite holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University, where her research explored the intersection of acculturation, racial identity, and ethnic identity. On the list of accomplishments of which she is most proud, Hyppolite notes her work restructuring the advising portfolio to enhance the student experience, and creating an Intercultural Engagement team to expand support services and programming for first-generation, Black, Latine, and Indigenous student populations. With a rich academic background in psychology and a passion for “meaningful dialogic exchange,” she brings a unique lens to her role in legal education.
“As a psychologist, I am naturally interested in an individual’s origin story and firmly believe that student narratives can help us to better understand student success. It’s another piece of data that needs to be an institutional priority. Universities are now paying more attention to students, particularly the experiences of those who have been marginalized, overlooked, and whose identities have not been meaningfully recognized and affirmed. It is important for me to be a part of an institution whose mission aligns with my values,” she says when asked about how her background has led her to CUNY Law.
Then there’s her personal connection to the work.
“When I think back to my own experience as a first-generation low-income student navigating college, I was successful because of mentors who always kept a hand outstretched and shepherded me through, along with programs that provided opportunities specifically curated for students like me. Similarly, in my capacity as the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management for CUNY Law, I hope to do work that resonates and impacts our community, builds upon the law school’s remarkable history, and is guided by innovation and student success.”
When she’s not at CUNY Law, Hyppolite can often be found in Brooklyn, where she was born and raised, spending time with family and friends, trying out a new restaurant, or meeting with her book club.