STEUBENVILLE — Kimberly King has been named vice president of student life at the Franciscan University of Steubenville.

A 1995 Franciscan University graduate with a master’s degree in counseling, King brings more than 30 years of higher education experience to her alma mater. She first established a career in collegiate athletics at Binghamton University in New York and then at Ave Maria University in Florida.

For almost a decade at Ave Maria, King served as vice president of student affairs and dean of students and served as Title IX coordinator. She spearheaded efforts to cultivate and maintain a positive student experience on campus, overseeing everything from residential life and campus ministry to career services and health services to student engagement.

“I’m excited to welcome Kim King to the Franciscan University community. She brings a great wealth of higher education experience to this position, as well as her strong Catholic faith,” said the Rev. Dave Pivonka, TOR, university president. “She is passionate about forming our students as joyful disciples and creating an environment of encounter, conversion, and community.”

Among her many accomplishments, King established a health clinic at Ave Maria to improve on-campus medical care access for students, launched a wellness program and developed policies for crisis management and student mental health support. As a senior administrator, she also contributed to institutional development and strategic planning.

In her new role, King will steward Franciscan University’s Catholic campus culture. She will oversee an integrated portfolio of residence life, student activities and leadership, student conduct, international student services, wellness and counseling, dining, orientation and campus events and athletics. She will further the formation and care of students and advance Franciscan’s mission and vision, guided by the Be Light Strategic Plan.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in this role and help form young adults who will shape the future of the church and society. Having dedicated my lifework to accompanying students in their growth, I find deep joy in walking with them as they integrate faith, learning and daily life, and in witnessing their unfolding call to live out their unique vocation,” King said. “Franciscan University has long been a leader in faithful Catholic higher education and continues to set the standard in this transformative work. It will be a privilege to give back to the place that so profoundly shaped my own formation as a Catholic disciple.”

King holds a bachelor’s degree in speech communication from the University of Richmond. She and her husband, Scott King, a 1996 graduate of Franciscan, have six children. She will begin her new role at the university on Monday.