Campus Life Recognized as a Distinguished Kindness Workplace
The Campus Life Division at Oxford College is proud to be recognized as a Distinguished Kindness Workplace by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation.
The official recognition, dated August 18, 2026, celebrates the department’s commitment to helping make kindness the norm. 
Higher education continues to change, and so does the way we do our work. What has remained constant at Oxford, and especially present in my mind as a division leader, is our responsibility to live the values we ask of others. At the heart of that work is mattering: knowing that our contributions matter, that we deserve to be seen and heard, and that we have a responsibility to help others feel seen and heard as well. One of the most practical ways we bring that commitment to life is by leading with kindness.
Over the past year, our Campus Life directors and staff have been intentional about translating those values into everyday practice. Our Campus Life Credo names commitments to our students, the academic mission, the institution, our colleagues and, importantly, to ourselves. We believe the health, well-being and care of our staff are intrinsically connected to the health, well-being and care of our students.
We have worked to make kindness visible in how we celebrate one another’s successes, how we gather for retreats and Wednesday lunches, how we recognize contributions both publicly and behind the scenes, and how we use activities and resources from the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation to strengthen our culture. We have also examined our mission, vision and daily practices to ensure that what we say we value is reflected in how we work together.
Ellen Campbell, office manager for the Office of Campus Life, played a key role in guiding the department through the recognition process and helping turn the program’s principles into meaningful practices for the team.
“I’ve seen how small acts of kindness, from shared meals to recognition, strengthen our team and remind us to care for one another. This program gave us opportunities to pause, appreciate one another, and think more intentionally about how we care for ourselves and our colleagues. That care is reflected in how we support and serve our students.”
Becoming a Distinguished Kindness Workplace was not an incidental accomplishment. It is a direct priority and outcome within the Oxford College strategic framework and part of our continued work toward creating a more caring campus. This recognition celebrates what our team has already built and reflects the culture we are committed to sustaining: one where people know they matter, care is practiced intentionally and kindness is part of how we lead.
- Darleny Cepin, Ed.D., Senior Associate Dean of Campus Life & Chief Student Affairs Officer