SHU Appoints Denise Tiberio as New Dean of Students

Alum and longtime SHU administrator ready to assume role Larry Wielk held more than 27 years

Denise Tiberio ’89, MAT ’93, a longtime member of the Sacred Heart University community, will become the new dean of students Aug. 18. She succeeds Larry Wielk, who is retiring after 27 years with the University.

“Denise has seen Sacred Heart evolve into the prosperous University it is today and has been a key player in its growth,” said Miguel Martinez-Saenz, senior vice president for student engagement. “We know she will always put our students and their interests first, as she has over the course of her career thus far.”

Tiberio is a SHU alum, having earned her bachelor’s degree in 1989 and her master’s degree in teaching in 1993. She has held several positions at the University, including assistant director of student activities, director of student life and senior associate dean of students.

In a question-and-answer interview, Tiberio shared how her time at SHU has prepared her for her new role.

You have been a member of the Sacred Heart community since being an undergraduate student. Why is Sacred Heart a great school to not only be a student but an employee as well?

People ask me all the time, “How could you work at the same place for 32 years?” It is genuinely because of the community—my colleagues and the students. The community has been the one thing that has remained consistent throughout my time at Sacred Heart. When I walk around campus, I see all the vast growth and change. This is not the same school it was in the ’80s: there were only four buildings on campus when I was a student here. The sense of community is the one thing that has remained consistent over my time here, and it is why I look forward to coming to work every day.

How have your previous roles at SHU prepared you for being dean of students? Is there anything you have learned from working alongside Larry Wielk that you will take with you in your new role?

In all the positions I have held at Sacred Heart, I have seen a lot, and I feel that I have developed the leadership skills needed to fulfill this role. I have always overseen the area of student life, even as we progressed into a larger institution. Through it all, my goal has been to create the best experience possible for our students. In this new role, I hope to continue to do this. The University is always looking for innovative ways to provide the support and resources our students need to be successful, and that will continue to be a priority.

I have worked alongside Larry Wielk for 27 years. Funny enough, I was part of the committee that hired him. Larry has always led by example, and he has always put students first. No matter what we may have been talking about or working on, he would remind us that we are doing this for the students. That mindset has definitely trickled down to me.

Why do you believe it is important for students to be involved on campus?

When I talk about Sacred Heart being a great community, a big component of that is about the connections you make on campus. When our first-year students come onto campus, we always talk to them about finding their people and looking for what sort of involvement works best for them and where they feel most comfortable. They should put themselves out there and do as much as they can in those first few weeks so they can find what they are interested in. When students talk about their positive experience at Sacred Heart, they love their connections and interactions in and out of the classroom—the whole experience.