Lance Wright MS

Biography

Lance Wright is honored to serve Western Colorado University as the Interim Vice President for Student Affairs. Throughout his career in higher education, his commitment has been rooted in creating supportive, engaging environments where students can navigate their academic journeys, build meaningful connections, and thrive.

Lance’s path in student engagement began at the University of Kansas, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Work, followed by a master’s degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Colorado State University. Over the past two decades, he has been privileged to support student life across several vibrant campus communities. His early career was spent at the University of Illinois’ Illini Union, where he served as Associate Director, before returning to Colorado State University in 2007 as Director of Campus Activities in the Lory Student Center. Over his 13 years in that role, and through subsequent appointments as Interim Director of the CSU Mountain Campus and Interim Director of Student Leadership, Involvement & Community Engagement, his focus remained steadfast: empowering students to lead, engage, and grow.

Having recently served as Interim Director of Residence Life at Western during the Spring 2026 semester, Lance experienced firsthand the deep sense of community, resilience, and connection that make the Mountaineer family so exceptional. In his role on the Senior Cabinet, he looks forward to working collaboratively with dedicated staff, faculty, and student leaders to foster a campus culture where every student feels included, supported, valued, and prepared for the future.

External Professional Affiliations

Faculty Member, Colorado State University, Student Affairs in Higher Education Graduate Program. I taught The Inclusive University.