News Release
Cody Whiting Announced as Director of Student Engagement
Southern Virginia University President Bonnie H. Cordon has named Cody Whiting as the director of student engagement. In this role, Whiting joins the Office of Student Life and will oversee university clubs and associations, including SVSA, and student activities.
“I’m a first-hand witness of the transformative experience this university can give somebody,” said Whiting. “My wife, MaKenna (‘13), is a diehard alumna and Knight, and I’ve seen how this university quite literally transformed the trajectory of her life. The experiences that I watched her benefit from were inspiring to me, and I’m excited to be a part of providing that for others.”
For the past two years, Whiting has served as the university’s assistant provost, coordinating academic operations, budget, assessment, accreditation, and events, including the execution of faculty conferences and major fairs. He also served as the lead for all university forums and commencements and will continue to support these university-wide events in his new position.
“I have a passion for working with students and improving the student experience,” Whiting said. “If there’s a student who wants to be more involved in the campus community, my role exists to empower them to do so!
“My goal is to create or find a place for students where they feel they can be engaged, make friends, have fun, and thrive,” concluded Whiting.
After serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Whiting attended Southern Virginia University during his wife’s senior year. He then completed his bachelor’s degree at Utah State University and earned a master’s degree in public administration with a focus in higher education from Southern Utah University.
Prior to joining Southern Virginia, Whiting worked as a religious educator for Seminaries and Institutes of Religion for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for seven years. He also presented at the Joseph Smith Papers Conference on “‘A Man like Ourselves’: Nauvoo Teachings on Anthropomorphism, Anthropopathism, and the Nature of God” in 2022.
Whiting currently serves as the Buena Vista Virginia YSA Stake Institute teacher for Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee University and also teaches an adult religion course for the Buena Vista Virginia Stake. He and his wife live in Buena Vista with their three children.
“Students at Southern Virginia University bring a unique energy and excitement to campus. I am looking forward to working closely with them,” continued Whiting. “Their involvement and contributions here are important for building culture and belonging — it’s thrilling to be a part of that process. I consider it a privilege to be in a position where I can help others experience the power of what it means to be a Knight.”