Farewell Celebration for VP Michael Nixon, Esq.

You are cordially invited to help our Andrews family celebrate Michael Nixon’s six years as our inaugural vice president for University Culture & Inclusion.

In 2017 Michael left his post in New York City as legal coordinator of the Fair Housing Justice Center and returned to Andrews University. Sensing a clear call from God, he took up the challenge of being the University’s first Chief Diversity Officer to “seek true, gospel-infused diversity and inclusion.”

Arriving at a difficult time in the nation and on our campus, Michael has made remarkable strides in strengthening Andrews University’s commitment to promoting equity, empathy and belonging.

Under his leadership, the University became the first faith-based institution to receive American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) funding to establish a Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) Campus Center. He also worked to successfully secure a “Reframing the Institutional Saga” grant from The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), which focuses on documenting neglected parts of the Andrews story. You can view the first installment of that work here.

With Michael’s support and guidance, many national heritage and history months are now meaningfully celebrated on our campus, each one offering a wide array of educational programs. He has also invited several well-recognized speakers to Andrews University, drawing broader attention to the University’s top-ranked diversity among national universities. Additionally, he’s often been asked to share his expertise with the local community and Adventist groups across the North American Division.

As one of the most visible administrators on campus, “VP Nixon” tirelessly attends club events, speaks at Sabbath vespers and church services, and shows up to answer questions on social media. However, even with that visible campus involvement, much of his work has occurred behind the scenes: developing inclusive policies and processes, advocating for student and employee needs, and consulting with department leaders on diversity, cultural, equity and inclusion issues.

I am deeply grateful to Michael for his tireless dedication to writing this first official chapter in our University’s efforts to truly live out God’s good news for “every nation, tribe, language, and people” (Revelation 14:6).

Please join me on Tuesday, May 2, as the Andrews University family offers Michael a heartfelt farewell!

Andrea Luxton
President