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Division-wide Leaders
Kevin Grant, Ed.D.
Senior Director of Assessment and Research
Dr. Kevin Grant, who joined Cal Poly in July 2017, heads the division-wide assessment and research practices in Student Affairs, including strategic plan leadership, success measurement of strategic initiatives, mapping co-curricular learning, program review oversight, university survey development, and tracking of student learning outcomes/student engagement as they relate to student success. In addition to his work in Student Affairs Assessment and Research, he also serves as a lecturer with the HECSA Program.
With over 20 years of experience in higher education, Dr. Grant specializes in student affairs assessment, strategic planning, program development, and academic student support. Dr. Grant serves as Executive Director for WITH US: The Center for Bystander Intervention at Cal Poly (withus.org) and oversees the National College Student Bystander Intervention Study (NCSBIS). This national study explores bystander behaviors and barriers amongst college students within the areas of Sexual Violence, Incidents of Hate & Bias, Hazing, and Alcohol and Drug Misuse/Abuse.
Dr. Grant is a regular presenter within WSCUC Educational Programs and serves as Assessment Leadership Academy faculty and program mentor. Within NASPA, he served as the national co-chair for the Assessment, Evaluation and Research Knowledge Community and has been the recipient of the NASPA Research Grant. He has taught/presented internationally, and works with various universities consulting on student affairs assessment.
Dr. Grant received his bachelor's degree in cinema media arts from Biola University, M.Ed. in college student affairs from Azusa Pacific University, and doctorate from Biola University in higher education administration. He lives on a small ranch in Atascadero, California, with his wife and three teenage kids, and enjoys hiking, camping, playing guitars, horticulture and caring for all the animals on “the Granch.”
Cuong Nguyen
Associate Director of Personnel for Student Affairs
As the associate director of personnel for Student Affairs, Cuong Nguyen is responsible for the strategic management and oversight of all personnel functions for faculty, staff, and management employees within the Division of Student Affairs. The position is a key member of the Student Affairs leadership team (SALT) and provides personnel policy analysis and strategic consultations to the vice president, senior leaders, managers, faculty and staff within the division.
Before joining Student Affairs, Nguyen was the head of people at Playworks, a national nonprofit working towards ensuring that every kid has safe and healthy play every day, where he was charged with developing and executing the organization’s strategy to attract, develop, retain, and promote high-performing staff at all levels of the organization. He previously held management and HR leadership roles at Net Impact and New York City government and started his career as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras.
An alumnus of Cal Poly, Nguyen received his bachelor’s degree from the Orfalea College of Business and a master’s degree in public administration from New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service. He is thrilled to call San Luis Obispo home and when he’s not on or near the soccer field with his son, he enjoys cooking as much as he can on weekends, picking up golf as a late-life hobby, and scheming up ways to use points and miles to take the next family vacation.
Cynthia Lambert
Director of Educational Communications for Student Affairs
Cynthia Lambert develops and leads strategic communications initiatives to holistically support the division and advance its commitment to retaining and supporting a diverse and inclusive student body.
Lambert has 20 years of communication and journalism experience, including media relations, internal relations and public relations. She came to Cal Poly in 2016 as a communications specialist in University Communications and Marketing. She is passionate about students and the work she’s done to support campus DEI-related initiatives, including the Cal Poly Experience (CPX). Lambert also served as public information officer for the university’s Emergency Operations Center during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her work during that time was recognized with a Outstanding Staff Award in 2022.
Previously, Lambert worked as a reporter for newspapers in California and Texas and led communications for a Sacramento-based nonprofit. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Cal Poly. Lambert lives in Santa Margarita and enjoys ballet, hiking, and exploring our beautiful county with husband Aaron and their two children.
