Lasell has a new Associate Dean of Student Affairs, Charnele Luster. Luster is a third-generation educator who has worked in the system for more than 10 years. Luster graduated in 2011 from Roger Williams University with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture, then transitioned to St. Lawrence University to complete her M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Administration, where she also served as the Residential Coordinator before being promoted to Assistant Director of Residence Life. Her journey as an educator at King University before moving on to many other amazing locations, including St. Lawrence, mentioned above, Salem State University, Harvard University, and New York University Abu Dhabi, before coming here to Lasell.
Luster said this about her plans in her new role on campus, “I care so deeply about students and the student experience. I always say, the quintessential student experience. I think that a lot of times when folks think of college, they have a certain image. And for me, it’s like, yes, that is an important part, right, thinking of psychosocial development and student development theory and all of that, but it’s also having students identify what they want their experience to be. That is critical.”
Luster grew up on college campuses surrounded by college students and felt that Lasell, with its intergenerational campus, would be a good fit for her based on her past experiences, and she plans to take all she learned from her previous jobs and apply it to her work at Lasell.
Luster worked with a completely new set of students every 4 to 5 years. “There are different needs that our students have, and being able to meet those needs. So that is like, where I see the change, not necessarily geographically, but more so how our students, right? Students changing in higher ed. And how is the landscape of higher ed changing?”
Though she has made many changes over the past few years, with her moving from Harvard to New York University’s Abu Dhabi campus and now to Lasell, that is nothing new in student affairs.
“For us as educators and administrators to meet the consistent change. Let me take right, take a step forward, or, take a step back and observe or take a step forward. It’s okay, well, what should we do differently?”
Luster continues to settle into her new role with great enthusiasm and hopes to connect with more Lasell students, villagers, and staff.
–March 2, 2026–
