Dr. Sylvia Carey-Butler

Dr. Sylvia R. Carey-Butler joined Whitman College as Vice President for Inclusive Excellence in January 2026. A nationally recognized higher education leader with more than four decades of experience, she is committed to fostering campus environments where all students, faculty and staff can thrive and experience a strong sense of belonging. Before joining Whitman, Dr. Carey-Butler held senior leadership positions at Brown University, Kennesaw State University, the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Dillard University, Lafayette College and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), where she served as Interim Executive Director of the Institute for Capacity Building and inaugural Director of the Enrollment Management Program.

A respected scholar and presenter, Dr. Carey-Butler, has written and spoken on student success, enrollment, leadership and inclusive excellence. She developed the diversity and inclusion curriculum for the American Council on Education’s Fellows Program and has received numerous honors recognizing her contributions to higher education, including an honorary doctorate from her alma mater, the State University of New York at Oneonta, and the University of Wisconsin System Outstanding Women of Color Award to name a couple.

Ph.D. Higher Education Administration Policy
Vanderbilt University

M.A. Social Science (Counseling)
Binghamton University.

B.S. Liberal Arts
State University of New York at Oneonta