Meredith Harper Bonham

Dr. Meredith Harper Bonham ’92 is the vice president for student affairs with responsibility for divisional strategic planning and budgets, staff development and oversight, and implementation of initiatives that impact the overall student experience. Kenyon's division of student affairs, comprising approximately 120 professionals, includes the offices of athletics, fitness and recreation; campus safety; the dean of campus life; the dean of students; diversity, equity, and inclusion; health and counseling; housing and residential life; spiritual and religious life; student engagement; and student rights and responsibilities. Meredith holds office hours for students at Wiggin Street Coffee on most Wednesdays from 3 to 4:30 pm.

A 1992 Kenyon alumna, Meredith graduated cum laude with high honors in history. She also holds a masters degree from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education and a doctorate in higher postsecondary education from Syracuse University with a research focus on gender, identity and academic leadership.

Before returning to Kenyon in 2015, Meredith held a variety of positions with increasing responsibilities for over two decades at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, ending with senior associate dean of students and Title IX coordinator. Prior to that role she served for twelve years as the chief of staff and secretary to the board of trustees in the president's office. She led several planning initiatives focused on student life, including implementation of a comprehensive residential program for first-year students and a universal first-year orientation experience, and completion of the plan to achieve a fully residential campus (just like Kenyon!). In addition, Meredith oversaw the offices of residential life and multicultural affairs and chaired Hamilton’s emergency response team.

Meredith and her husband Jay Bonham have two sons: Charlie (Macalester College ‘23) and Teddy (Columbus Academy ‘23), plus a poorly behaved beagle named Vito.