Dr. William L. Atkins

Dr. William L. Atkins is originally from Tampa, Florida and currently serves as an Associate Vice Provost for University Life at the University of Pennsylvania. His career reflects a deep commitment to creating equitable, thriving educational environments that empower students to succeed academically and personally while fostering a culture of innovation, inclusivity, excellence, and joy. He is an advocate for creating and facilitating educational experiences through co-curricular initiatives, impactful partnerships, and transformative teachable moments that drive student success.

Previously, Dr. Atkins held roles at the University of Florida, the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, and Miami University (Ohio). His professional portfolio has included first-generation student success, sorority and fraternity life, diversity, equity, and inclusion, student activities, student government, new student, parent, and family engagement, leadership and service learning, and leading professional staff development initiatives. In addition to his current role at Penn, he also serves as a lecturer at Penn’s Graduate School of Education, where he teaches Contemporary Issues in Higher Education.

Dr. Atkins earned his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Florida, M.A. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, and a B.S. in Health and Human Performance from the University of Florida.