Senior Associate Vice President for Student Life
Dr. Naddia Palacios serves as the Senior Associate Vice President (SAVP) for Student Life at the University of Southern California, where she oversees core areas of the student experience. In this executive role, she leads a high-performing team of Associate Vice Presidents that oversee a diverse portfolio including Residential Education, Career Services, Fraternity & Sorority Life, New Student Orientation, Trojan Event Services, Recreational Sports, Campus Activities, Community Expectations, Student Publications, Student Culture & Community, and the Spirit of Troy. As a key deputy to the Vice President, Dr. Palacios is responsible for ensuring organizational alignment with the university’s mission, focusing on the creation of a world-class environment where all students can flourish.
As a senior administrator, Dr. Palacios specializes in organizational alignment and systemic innovation. She has successfully led university-wide initiatives to expand student-accessible spaces, restructure service delivery for greater efficiency, and enhance data-informed decision-making regarding student well-being. Notably, she spearheaded the development of the Student Basic Needs department and the First Generation Plus Success Center, ensuring that critical resources are centralized and accessible to all students.
Before coming to USC, Dr. Palacios held positions focused on enhancing the student experience at Occidental College, the Claremont University Consortium, and the University of California, Riverside. Dr. Palacios earned a B.A in Latin American Studies from San Diego State University, an M.Ed. in Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs from the University of Southern California, and an Ed.D. at the University of California, Los Angeles.