Biosketch
Joel McCarthy joined the UMass Lowell community in January 2012 as Director of Residence Life. He was later promoted to Assistant Dean and now serves as one of three Associate Deans for Student Affairs. In this role, he oversees housing, residential education, crisis management, and student and family support services.
Before coming to UMass Lowell, Joel spent five years at Wells College as the Associate Dean of Students and later as Dean of Students. He also spent seven years at Syracuse University in various student affairs roles. With over 20 years of experience in student affairs, Joel has a strong background in crisis response, student development, and accessibility.
Joel holds a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Syracuse University and two bachelor’s degrees from Bradley University. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at UMass Lowell, with research focused on how colleges can effectively partner with parents and families to support student success.
What Joel values most about working at UMass Lowell is the opportunity to collaborate with students, their families, faculty, staff, and community partners to enhance the student experience. He lives in Westford, Massachusetts, with his partner and two sons.