Walter J.H. O'Neill, Ed.D. 

Executive Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services 

Dr. Walter O'Neill is the executive vice president of Enrollment and Student Affairs/Services at Davenport University. He also leads the university's athletic program. Under O'Neill's leadership, Davenport has balanced its targeted enrollment portfolio, enhanced student support/services and increased student satisfaction, fall-to-fall retention and graduation rates to their highest levels. Traditional and full-time enrollment has grown significantly and, as a result, Davenport has added seven additional residential buildings to accommodate the growth. As a leader of the university’s athletic program, he has successfully helped the transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division II where the university continues to see successful academic and athletic accomplishments at higher levels locally and nationally. 

O’Neill has almost 40 years of experience in higher education. Before joining Davenport in 2013, he served as the senior associate vice president of Enrollment at Roosevelt University in Chicago, where in his 17-year tenure, he also held roles as the assistant vice president and director of Financial Aid. O'Neill has also served at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Chicago State University, State University of New York Old Westbury College, Teachers College/Columbia University, and Binghamton University. O'Neill earned his bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University in NY, studied Student Personnel at Teachers College/Columbia University also in NY, earned graduate certification in Nonprofit Management from Roosevelt University in Illinois where he also earned a Master Degree in Training and Development and a Doctorate in Higher Education Leadership. Dr. O’Neill also earned post-graduate certification in Higher Education Leadership from Harvard University in Boston.