Kayla Powell
Director of Student Experience
Alma Mater
University of Kentucky – PhD in Educational Policy Studies & Evaluation, Studies in Higher Education Western Kentucky University – MS Recreation & Sports Administration, Event Management University of Kentucky – BA Integrated Strategic Communication, Public Relations
Get to Know Kayla
Kayla Powell, PhD, serves as the Director of Student Experience & Engagement (SEE) at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work. In this role, she leads the college’s student engagement and belonging initiatives, centering student voice in the design and implementation of programs, services, and strategic efforts. Her work focuses on supporting student wellbeing throughout their entire journey, preparing them to make a meaningful impact in their communities.
Dr. Powell oversees a wide range of student-focused initiatives, including New Student Orientations, SEE events, departmental scholarships, and shared governance efforts such as the Dean’s Advisory Council and student listening sessions. She also leads the college’s student ambassador and leadership programs and supports student organizations. Through this work, she partners across the college to ensure that student perspectives inform decision-making and that students are meaningfully connected to their academic experience.
She has worked in Student Affairs at the University of Kentucky since 2013, bringing experience in recruitment, admissions, academic advising, student orientations, and honors education. Her dissertation examined how institutional policy shapes undergraduate student identity, development, and belonging. As a PhD student, she received the Edgar Sagan Award in 2022 and the Dissertation Enhancement Award in 2024.
Grounded in a student-centered philosophy, Dr. Powell believes that student voice should be central to institutional practice while also emphasizing students’ personal responsibility in their learning and development. Her approach is informed by self-authorship and appreciative advising, guiding her work to support students in making meaning of their experiences and actively shaping their educational journeys.
She is on the board of Partners For Youth and a member of the 2025-2026 Leadership Lexington class. A lifelong resident of Lexington, she enjoys engaging in the local community and connecting her work to the place she is proud to call home.