Travis DiJoseph joins the Olin community as the new Registrar. Learn more about Travis and his experience in this Q&A.
Meet Travis DiJoseph, who joined the Olin community as the new Registrar.
Can you share a bit about your background and how you came to be at Olin?
I have worked in various roles in education during my professional career. I’m a trained educator and was a secondary social studies teacher for four years following completion of my Bachelor’s at the University of Delaware. While I was teaching, I completed my Master’s of Education in Higher Education Administration at Northeastern. After completing my degree, I landed a job as an academic services coordinator for a department and began my journey in the higher education space.
My professional journey has given me the opportunity to work in many different roles, including academic advising, strategic initiatives, institutional research, accreditation reporting, and a host of registrar-related work. In some of these roles, I worked closely with students and faculty, and in others, I was more behind the scenes. Of all the roles I have had over the years, however, the one I have most enjoyed is the work done in the Registrar’s Office. It’s a unique combination of collaborating closely with all members of the campus community and working behind the scenes to ensure systems and processes run smoothly. When I saw that Olin was looking for a new Registrar, I decided to take a chance, and I am so incredibly excited to join this incredible, vibrant community.
What made you want to work in higher education?
I have always been passionate about education, but it didn’t occur to me that higher education was a possible career path until I had finished a year as a teacher. As I reflected on what I might choose to do next professionally, I thought back to my wonderful experience as an undergraduate. From the beautiful campus to the vibrant intellectual community to the shared experiences of being on campus, I wondered if I could make a career in higher education. I was a work study student in a business office during my entire time at Delaware, and I also served as a resident assistant, so I saw up close that there were opportunities to work in the field full-time. I did some research, started working on my Master’s, and realized pretty quickly I could combine my passion for education with my love of the college experience, and I took it from there.
How do you support students in your role?
The primary role of the Registrar’s Office is to serve as the stewards of student data for Olin. In addition to upholding the integrity of student data, we play a pivotal role in ensuring ongoing progress toward degree completion and try our best to equip them with the information and tools to be successful. A lot of the work we do in the Registrar’s Office is behind the scenes and may go unnoticed, but we play a pivotal role in planning around the academic calendar, coordinating course schedules, processing course and program-related paperwork, and ensuring features in the student information system operate as expected. We’re here to support students while also upholding the academic policies of Olin.
Is there anything about your role that you would like students to know?
It’s important to me to be a champion for Olin and support our students from day one through graduation and beyond. I love working with students, hearing about their backgrounds, plans while at Olin, and what they would like to do with their future. I’m a people person, and I truly enjoy getting to know our students and what they are passionate about. I am here to help however I can, and my door is always open if students have questions, ideas, or simply want to chat.
Do you have a favorite moment in your career you can share?
It is hard to pinpoint a single moment for me. I have had so many wonderful things I can recall over the years. Small wins here and there related to championing a process or seeing a student or colleague persevere through challenging circumstances to achieve something great. The truth is, there is very little I love more than seeing the joy of those around me when they have accomplished something they earned and are proud of. It’s a bonus if I was fortunate to play even a small role in their success.
If you really pushed me for a favorite moment, well, I’d say starting as the Registrar of Olin has been my favorite moment to date!
What do you like to do for fun and/or in your free time?
When I have free time, you’ll likely find me spending time with my family exploring, finding fun and new places to eat, cooking, traveling, or enjoying the latest binge-worthy thing on TV. I’m an avid sports fan (Philly teams all the way!) and I enjoy watching and attending games. I’m also a world-class fantasy football player (if .500 finishes every season is considered world-class). In a similar vein, I love exercising and try to run or get a workout in whenever I can, or get some swings in my town’s slow-pitch softball league on the weekends. I love to read anything I can get my hands on, but especially historical fiction, though the history teacher in me loves a good nonfiction book. Other than that, I simply love spending time with the people I love, enjoying good conversation, good food, and making memories together.
Oliners can ask me about…?
Anything sports-related, but especially football, basketball, and baseball. I check the scores most days and watch whatever might be on if I have free time. Other than that, ask me anything! I love chatting about any topic of interest, whether it’s current events, book recommendations, pop culture, or the latest popular movies/TV.
Oliners can teach me about…?
I love hearing about what brought you here to Olin, your hopes and dreams for the future, and what makes you tick. It’s always exciting to hear what people are passionate about and what brings them joy. I’m also looking forward to being in an engineering-centric community and learning about the field more and all the incredible things our community is doing for the profession.