Senior Vice Chancellor for Student Experience Named an American Council on Education Fellow
Salvador Mena is one of 25 higher education leaders in the nation selected for the program
Salvador Mena, senior vice chancellor for the student experience at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, has been selected as a 2025–26 Fellow by the American Council on Education, which provides an intensive year-long experience at a host institution to learn from experts and leaders in higher education through the ACE network.
He is one of 25 higher education leaders in the nation chosen for the program.
Effective July 1, Francesca Maresca the assistant vice chancellor for student affairs for health and wellness will serve as interim vice chancellor for the student experience during Mena’s fellowship year.
As part of the yearlong fellowship, Mena will be placed at another college or university, where he will work alongside senior academic leaders, engage in policy analysis and administrative planning and take on high-level strategic projects.
“I am excited about the opportunity the ACE Fellowship presents to engage in deep reflection and strategic thinking about the future of higher education during this pivotal moment,” Mena said. “Colleges and universities are navigating intense challenges, and the implications for leadership in our sector are still unfolding. This Fellowship will offer a powerful space to consider these dynamics while also allowing me to reflect on my leadership journey.”
Mena has led the Division of Student Affairs since 2018, first as vice chancellor for student affairs and, since August 2023, as senior vice chancellor for the student experience. During his tenure, he has worked to advance initiatives that support student well-being, and his leadership was crucial in the development of Rutgers-New Brunswick’s Academic Master Plan and its student success initiatives, including Discovery Advantage and ScarletWell.
Striving to create a culture that fosters student success, Mena created the Student Affairs Office of Graduate Student Life, the Basic Needs Center and the Office of Commuter Student Life. He oversaw the establishment of the Faith and Spirituality Initiatives Program through the Offices of the Dean of Students and initiated capital projects and improvements for existing student facilities to support student engagement, advocacy, belonging and well-being, such as the Atrium food court on College Avenue, improvements to the cultural centers and the relocation of the Recovery House, Residence Life Central Office, and mental health services to accessible new locations.
Mena helped create Rutgers-New Brunswick’s annual Student Success Conference, which convenes faculty and student support professionals throughout the campus to learn ways to advance student success. He has also worked with campuswide partners on the development of an outcomes-based transition experience for 9,000 incoming students, including the updated new student orientation, new student convocation, Welcome Week and Student Success Week.
“The ACE Fellows Program chooses outstanding college and university leaders for a rigorous experience that will help them become the top executives of the future. Rutgers-New Brunswick is proud that Senior Vice Chancellor Mena has been chosen, and excited to see the insights he will bring when he returns at the end of his yearlong fellowship,” Chancellor Francine Conway said. “While he is gone, the Division of Student Affairs will continue supporting our students with Dr. Maresca, another excellent leader, stepping up as Interim Vice Chancellor.”
The American Council on Education’s fellows program includes retreats, interactive learning experiences, a capstone project and a tailored placement at a host institution. Fellows shadow senior leaders – often presidents – participate in key decision-making processes and develop the practical skills and theoretical knowledge needed to implement transformational change.
In her interim role, Maresca brings deep experience and leadership in student affairs, particularly in health and wellness. She has served as assistant vice chancellor for student affairs for health and wellness since May 2021, overseeing more than 125 staff in medical, counseling, health outreach, recreation services and health promotion and education. She helped guide the university’s COVID-19 response and her work has strengthened the division’s ability to support student well-being through innovative programs and sustainable growth.
Previously, as director of health outreach, promotion and education, she launched mental health and wellness programs on campus, including Campus Connect Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training, Mental Health First Aid and Rutgers’ rapid-result and peer HIV testing initiatives.
She also co-led the university wide adoption of the JED Campus Initiative, a multiyear effort to strengthen mental health, substance abuse and suicide prevention programs across Rutgers University.
