“How are you?” is more than a rhetorical question for Dr. Brandon Thompson, Northern Kentucky University’s newly hired vice president of student affairs.

“When I tell someone ‘Good morning,’ I really want to know how they’re doing, be it good or bad,” he says. “Sometimes, those offhand conversations you have with people truly allow you to get to know them in a way that structured meetings can’t.”

After serving as the dean of student engagement at the University of Kentucky, Dr. Thompson says that he’s looking forward to building one-to-one connections with a smaller student population. A more tight-knit campus, he believes, leads to more deep and meaningful interactions.

Working in academia wasn’t always Dr. Thompson’s plan, however. When he was an undergraduate at Eastern Illinois University, he initially planned on becoming a doctor until taking organic chemistry made him re-evaluate his choice. At the same time, he was passionate about on-campus involvement: “I was in a fraternity, a member of Student Government and an orientation leader, so all of those things drew me toward student affairs, but at the time, I didn't know it was something that I could do for a profession,” he says.

While preparing to complete his degree in communication studies as a senior, the director of New Student Orientation told Dr. Thompson that he should look into pursuing a master’s degree in student affairs.

“She’d even called my parents and told them that’s what she saw me doing,” he says. “I had a passion for orientation at the time, and I always saw myself doing that for work. But once I completed my master’s degree, there were only a couple of orientation jobs available in the country, and one was in Delaware. I didn’t want to move to Delaware.”

Instead, Dr. Thompson pivoted to student housing, a sphere he’d work within for nearly 10 years before landing his position at the University of Kentucky working with Greek Life, religious organizations and activities on campus.

“When it boiled down to it, my goal there was to make sure that every student felt like they belonged on our campus,” he says. “The work also connected me to a large number of alumni from the institution, so it allowed me to see how they’d transformed lives over time.”

For Dr. Thompson, NKU’s large first-generation student population and proximity to Cincinnati drew him here.

“I have three kids, all of whom were born in Lexington, Kentucky,” he says. “We didn’t necessarily want to leave the Commonwealth, but we also wanted to be in a place where our children could have an immersive experience in cultures that aren't just their own.

“My own desire to be at NKU, though,” he adds, “is because I want to find a way to serve students in Indiana and Ohio as well as Kentucky. Even though I wasn’t a first-generation student, working in this state for so long has made me realize what an education can do for these students. The people who interviewed me also sold me. An institution’s people establish the culture, and the culture here is something I want to be a part of.”

Dr. Thompson’s family also includes his wife, whom he met while working in student housing, and their energetic three-year-old lab mix. Thompson loves sports, especially baseball: “NKU is playing UK in baseball, and I’m very excited because I want NKU to beat them,” he says.

He also enjoys bowling—an activity connected fondly to memories of his late father—and during the pandemic, he developed a passion for smoking meats, especially brisket.

For students looking to become more engaged on campus, Dr. Thompson emphasizes reaching out for guidance.

“Meet with one of our staff within student affairs,” he says. “Sometimes you just need a little conversation nugget to help you connect.”

Ultimately, Dr. Thompson is most excited about building genuine relationships at NKU.

“I truly look forward to developing deep and meaningful interactions and making sure everyone feels they belong,” he says.