Dr. Michelle Allmendinger is a dedicated leader with over 20 years of experience in higher education. She currently serves as the Vice President of Student Affairs at Southeastern Community College, in Burlington, IA where she provides leadership for admissions, academic advising, financial aid, student conduct, accessibility services, TRIO, etc. She is an ardent champion of student success and has led numerous initiatives to increase retention and completion throughout her career. In addition to student affairs administrative experience, Dr. Allmendinger also has college teaching and academic affairs experience.
A native of Moline, Illinois, Dr. Allmendinger is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Knox College, where she was a first-generation college student, a two-sport athlete, a McNair Scholar, and earned a double major in English and Secondary Education. She began her professional career as a high school English teacher and part-time college coach before transitioning into full-time collegiate coaching. Dr. Allmendinger earned her master’s degree in Sport Sociology and Sport Psychology from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee in 2003 and spent six years coaching women’s college tennis and softball full-time before moving into higher education administration as Athletic Director and Assistant Dean of Students at Scott Community College.
In 2014, she stepped away from her AD role to pursue a doctorate in Higher Education Administration at Michigan State University, which she completed in 2018. Her dissertation focused on ethics and decision-making in higher education administration. Following her doctoral work, she served as Dean of Student Development at Clinton Community College for 5 years, and then in May 2023, she was appointed to her current position of Vice President of Student Affairs at Southeastern Community College.
Throughout her career, Dr. Allmendinger has been deeply committed to advancing student success. Her work includes revitalizing a struggling athletic department, developing retention and engagement initiatives for underserved student populations, creating scholarship programs that support first-generation students and their families, and developing pathways for adult students with credits and no credential to return to college.
Away from work, Dr. Allmendinger is an avid sports fan and tennis player. She loves to travel and got to go on her dream trip to Ireland last fall.
