Martino Harmon has been named as the new senior vice president for Student Affairs.

Harmon, who will take on the role March 21, will replace Tom Hill. Previously, Harmon served as associate vice president for Student Affairs.

President Steven Leath announced during the Iowa Board of Regents meeting Thursday that Harmon had been chosen from a pool of three candidates vying for the position.

“We’re thrilled to have [chosen] Martino Harmon, but we’re even more thrilled that he’s chosen to join us,” he said.

Harmon said he felt “blessed to have this opportunity.”

“It’s really amazing,” he said, brushing at his eyes. “I’m really excited, but now just overwhelmed with excitement.”

He was thankful Leath had confidence in him and thankful to work with Hill and to follow his footsteps is “amazing,” Harmon said.

Student Government President Dan Breitbarth said he was excited to hear Harmon had received the job.

“I’m ecstatic,” Breitbarth said. “The rest of Student Government is ecstatic; that’s who we [were] really pulling for.”

Hill said he, too, is excited Harmon had been chosen to succeed him.

“I think he’s well qualified, and I think he brings what I would consider a good balance,” Hill said. “He’s not been here so long that you would really consider him a part of the long-time establishment here, but he knows enough about Iowa State, the student experience, those kind of things to understand it and appreciate it. But he’s new enough to bring some good ideas, some new ideas and so I think he brings an excellent balance and I think the student body university is going to be extremely delighted with his appointment.”

Harmon received news of his appointment last week from Leath during a visit to the Knoll.

“I asked him if he would come by the house one evening, and I think he was a little nervous because it’s going to be really good or really bad,” Leath joked.

Harmon is preparing to get started.

Harmon said he doesn’t have a formal plan yet, but the most important thing he plans to do is listen. He’s going to design a strategy that will allow him and his team to get maximum feedback from those across campus, he said. 

By doing so, Harmon said he will use that to really craft the next vision for Student Affairs.

Another aspect he plans to tackle includes recruitment for the cabinet, which he said he will find the right people for the vision he has for the office.

Harmon said he will focus on the areas they need to be strong in, including the health, wellness and safety programs, as well as diversity inclusion initiatives.

“Those are the two things that sit right on the top,” he said.

Until Harmon assumes the role as senior vice president on March 21, Hill said he will undergo a transition period, which he will help talk Harmon through.

“We’ll sit down and I’ll just do the brain dump; give him all the things in the works and just things that might be helpful,” Hill said.

However, Hill said Harmon currently has an advantage over him when he took the job 18 years ago. Harmon knows the vast majority of projects that are underway at the university, because he’s had a hand in the deciding process, Hill said.

Hill also said it’s important for a new vice president to establish himself and make this position his position.

“You need some help to understand the lay of the land, which he won’t need what I needed, because he’s been here a couple of years,” Hill said. “So he’s got an advantage on me. I think he’s ready to take it and run, quite frankly.”

During the search the last few months for Hill’s replacement, Leath said the search committee had three outstanding, well-qualified candidates for the position, but Harmon was the favorite choice, especially among students.

“Since this was such a student-centered position, that was really critical,” Leath said. “From my perspective, [Harmon] brought a neat blend of outside experiences having been to other institutions, but he also had experience at Iowa State where he learned our culture and what was important here. So he had a perfect combination.”

Breitbarth said student leaders, who had the opportunity to privately interview the candidates, believed all three candidates were qualified, but also said he can confidently say the students were most impressed with Harmon.

“In all honesty, that’s not because we know him,” Breitbarth said. “I think it’s good he’s got a great understanding of Iowa State and he knows the culture and the challenges we’re facing, but his proposal and his vision he brought before us for Iowa State students and the Student Affairs division in general impressed all of us much more than the other candidates.”

Leath said he’s seen student reaction to the announcement from Twitter, which has been positive overall.

Hill said he has not heard any reaction so far from any members of campus, but there was a lot of support for Harmon among students, faculty and staff during the interviewing process.

“I think, given that bit of information, I would really think they would be really excited and pleased he has been chosen as new senior vice president,” Hill said.

Harmon has served Iowa State University as the associate vice president of Student Affairs since 2013. Previously, he served in several positions at other institutions, including the University of Toledo, Rhodes State College and more.

Hill said it’s a great feeling for him to step down knowing his successor.

“I feel very good about where the division of Student Affairs is right now,” he said. “We’ve got an excellent staff in the division from top to bottom and if there was ever a good time to leave, now is a great time for me to step down.”

However, Hill said he steps down with mixed feelings.

“I’ve done this for 18 years,” he said. “I love my job but as they say, there’s a season for everything. It’s time to let Harmon take the lead and I’m looking forward to watching him do great things and take it to a whole new level.”