Mitchel Charles ’18 named new ODUS Program Coordinator

After more than 11 months of vacancy in the position, Mitchel Charles ’18 has been named the new Program Coordinator in the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students (ODUS), according to a Jan. 4 University announcement.

Ian Deas, Charles’ predecessor and current Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Students and the Director of Student Leadership and Engagement, noted that the months-long vacancy was “due to the University’s COVID response.”

“Having had an incomplete team for some time, it is really nice to not only have a full team, but to have someone who brings a lot to the table be a part of our team,” Deas said.

As the Program Coordinator of ODUS, Charles will serve as a liaison between student leaders and University offices, offering advice and support to student-led organizations and ensuring that events led by student organizations comply with University policies.

He will also work with the Undergraduate Student Government Senate and the four undergraduate class governments to provide a productive and enriching extracurricular experience for all University students.

Charles said he looks forward to helping student organizations grapple with the unique challenges posed by the hybrid nature of the upcoming semester. He hopes to ensure that student organizations can cater their events to serve all University students, regardless of whether they are on campus next semester.

“I am very excited about advising students and student groups on how they can get the most out of their Princeton experience,” Charles said. “I think there is more opportunity this semester to be innovative around what events look like. There’s a greater sense of connectedness to campus for some students that I think can lead to good, new ideas.”

Charles earned his bachelor’s degree from the University in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) in 2018. He was also part of the track and field team and a member of the Cannon Dial Elm Club during his time at the University. Before returning to the University to serve in this role, Charles worked in the development and fundraising teams of the National Audubon Society.

“I am very glad to be back,” Charles said. “It’s both familiar and certainly a completely new experience to be a member of the staff and take a peek behind the curtain and be involved on the back end.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Mitchel back to campus to help advise and support the ever-evolving needs of student organizations,” Deputy Dean of Undergraduate Students Thomas Dunne wrote in an email to The Daily Princetonian. “We have an ongoing interest in offering intentional and focused advising for the hundreds of student organizations registered with our office, and Mitchel will be a tremendous asset on that front.”

Dunne wrote that he feels there is a lot of value in alumni returning to the University to leverage their perspectives as former students to enhance the experiences of current students.

“In meeting Mitchel, I was really struck by how much he cherished his Princeton experience and his interest in giving back to his alma mater through this work,” Dunne wrote. “Mitchel joins the ranks of Tigers serving in education, and I think we are all the better for it.”