Christopher Waugh

Christopher Waugh is St. Ambrose University's first vice president for Student Engagement. In his role, Waugh oversees student services, including housing and residence life, the counseling center, and student activities, among others. Working closely with the vice president for academic affairs, Waugh is responsible for fostering a holistic experience for all students.

Waugh joined SAU in 2019 as dean of students and associate vice president for Academic and Student Affairs. Before joining St. Ambrose, he served as an associate dean in the Student Affairs Office at Pomona College in Claremont, California.

He grew up on a farm near Neponset, Illinois, and attended Neponset and Kewanee public schools. Christopher earned a bachelor's degree in English and a master's degree in counseling at Northern Illinois University, where he worked in various capacities in the residence halls, coordinated conferences and events for the university, and taught undergraduate courses in leadership development and career exploration.
In 2002, Waugh became the director of the Leadership & Community Involvement Office at Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, Illinois, where he was later promoted to assistant dean of students, and finally to associate dean of students and director of the Gates Center for Leadership & Personal Growth.

While at Lake Forest, he worked closely with the campus community to build a co-curricular model that continues today. In 2011, Waugh completed a PhD in higher education administration at Loyola University Chicago. While there, he led graduate-level internship cohorts. His research and educational interests focus on engaging bystanders to help mitigate dangerous drinking situations.

His work at Pomona College included community development in the residence halls, extensive bystander training and education, and development related to alcohol and other drug use.

Waugh is married to Kristina, a health educator. Kristina and Christopher have one son, Simon.