By Sheri Ledbetter, UC Irvine
Rameen Talesh, UC Irvine’s associate vice chancellor of student life and leadership, as well as dean of students, has been selected as a 2025 NASPA Pillar of the Profession for his outstanding contributions to student affairs. Each year, the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators acknowledges about 20 individuals nationwide for their exceptional impact in the discipline.
“I am deeply humbled and honored by this recognition. It’s a tribute to all the amazing students I’ve worked with and the great mentorship I’ve received from so many professionals I’ve interacted with in the field,” Talesh said.
He joins others from UC Irvine who have been NASPA Pillars, including Willie Banks, vice chancellor for student affairs; Derek Vergara, who now works at Orange Coast College; and Jill Halvaaks, who spent her entire career in Student Affairs at UC Irvine and is now retired – highlighting a legacy of excellence in that department.
Talesh has been at UC Irvine for 23 years (plus four more as an undergraduate political science major). His 35-year career spans both public and private institutions in Southern California, including UC Riverside, Cal State Northridge, USC and Occidental College. He was elected by his peers as director of NASPA Region VI, spanning California, Arizona and Hawaii, from 2022 to 2024.
In his current role as dean of students, Talesh oversees Student Life & Leadership, which is a collective of departments committed to supporting the holistic development of students by fostering engagement opportunities while promoting leadership and belonging.
See Talesh and his fellow Pillars of the Profession in this brief video.