After 20+ Years at Stanford, Brown, Bakkegard Joins Holy Cross as Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students

Holy Cross has named Koren Bakkegard, an accomplished student affairs leader with more than 20 years of higher education experience, as vice president for student development and dean of students, effective July 1, 2026.

As vice president for student development and dean of students, Bakkegard will lead the Division of Student Development, helping advance an integrated, student-centered living and learning experience rooted in the values of Jesuit Catholic higher education. She will advise senior leadership on student life, campus climate, student wellbeing and community standards, while reporting directly to the president and serving on the President’s Leadership Team.

Bakkegard most recently served as associate vice president for campus life and dean of students at Brown University, where she led key student development and support functions since 2019. In that role, she oversaw multiple campus life offices focused on residential life, student conduct, student support services and student activities. 

“Koren is a principled, student-centered leader whose commitment to student success, belonging and mission-driven education makes her an extraordinary addition to Holy Cross,” said Holy Cross President Vincent D. Rougeau. “Her ability to build partnerships across divisions, communicate with transparency and approach complex challenges with systems-level insight will strengthen our work to support and form students in the fullest sense.”

Before joining Brown, Bakkegard spent 15 years at Stanford University in a series of senior leadership roles, including interim associate vice provost and dean of residential education, and associate dean and executive director of residential education. Her tenure at Stanford was marked by broad leadership across student affairs and undergraduate education, where she helped shape programs supporting student success, community standards and residential learning.

“I am deeply honored to join the Holy Cross community and to work alongside students and colleagues to enhance a transformative student experience,” said Bakkegard. “Holy Cross’ mission deeply resonates with me, and I am inspired by the opportunity to help cultivate the conditions that support student learning, formation and engagement.”

Bakkegard earned a bachelor’s degree in literature and language from the University of North Carolina Asheville, a master’s degree in English from Wake Forest University, and completed doctoral coursework in English at the University of Rochester. 

In addition to Bakkegard’s appointment, Holy Cross also announced that Rev. Keith Maczkiewicz, S.J., Ed.D. will be elevated from associate vice president for mission and ministry to vice president for mission and chief mission officer, effective July 1, 2026. In this expanded role, he will lead the Division of Mission and Ministry, report directly to the president and join the President’s Leadership Team.

A Jesuit priest ordained in 2018, Fr. Maczkiewicz previously served as director of campus ministry and university chaplain at Fairfield University and has held ministry and leadership roles at Georgetown, Holy Cross and the University of Scranton. Fr. Maczkiewicz holds degrees from Fairfield University, Providence College, Loyola University Chicago, the Jesuit School of Theology and Boston College, where he earned an Ed.D. with a special concentration in Catholic higher education.