Donovan Nichols is the assistant dean for student involvement and leadership at The University of Toledo (UToledo), where his office was recognized with the Campus Labs national Rising Star Award in 2018 and UToledo Excellence in Assessment Award in 2017.

This co-founder of UToledo’s Blue Crew secret spirit organization and award-winning Las Vegas Alumni Chapter has twice graduated from UToledo in undergrad and graduate school, and is now working on his third degree. During his career in higher education, Nichols has overseen an office with a $1.8 million budget and 21 staff, and supported students in planning hundreds of events for over 100,000 attendees in total. He was appointed to a selective national advisory committee for the creation of an organization and event management software now used by over 700 campuses.

Nichols has served the community in a number of ways as a Big Brother, National Association for Campus Activities volunteer, campus and community collaboration leader for AmeriCorps*VISTA, and international co-coordinator and USA national coordinator for Pay it Forward Day, to name a few.