An energetic and student-centered leader is taking on a role at Morehead State to make sure every Eagle has the best college experience possible.
MSU has named John "Dean Yo" Yarabeck as its new dean of students. He will start the new role on June 1. He previously served as dean of students and campus life at McMurray University in Abilene, Texas.
The Denver native attended nearby Colorado State University (CSU) in Fort Collins, earning a Bachelor of Science in Human and Family Studies in 1980. On the way to earning his degree, he immersed himself in college life, was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, an honorary member of Alpha Chi Omega, served as a resident assistant and played goalie for CSU's international soccer team, which he mistakenly joined after showing up to what he thought was an intramural soccer match but stuck with it for the unexpected relationships and camaraderie.
"I love to tell that story to students and tell about making the most of their opportunities, 'cause you're going to get unusual chances that you never expect, and you happen to be open to them," Yarabeck said.
While he initially went to seminary school in California for one year after graduating from CSU (becoming credentialed as a hospital chaplain), Yarabeck returned to CSU, serving as a residence hall director while earning his Master of Education in College Student Personnel in 1984. This launched a career spanning more than four decades in student affairs.
Yarabeck's career in student affairs took him all over the country. From 1986 to 2003, Yarabeck served as assistant dean of students for residence life at Saint Bonaventure University in New York, assistant dean of students for Saint Mary's University in Texas, director of residential life at Columbia College in Missouri, dean of students at Christian Brothers University in Tennessee, vice president for student life and dean of students at Theil College in Pennsylvania, returned to Texas as the associate vice president for student affairs at Houston Baptist University and again to Pennsylvania as vice president and dean of student services at Waynesburg College.
In 2003, Yarabeck became a mainstay at Sam Houston University in Huntsville, Texas, first as associate dean of students and later dean of students from 2006 to 2018. He eventually left Sam Houston University in 2022 after serving as assistant vice president and dean of student advocacy.
In 2007, Yarabeck married his wife, Rachel, who had a front row seat to watch and helped her husband create a sense of community on campus.
"John is extremely well versed and really good at making folks that ordinarily wouldn't mesh together...kind of blend together and see that all of us have more in common than we realize," Rachel said.
The Yarabecks became fixtures at Sam Houston University. They earned what John called "street cred" by leaving the office to attend student events and athletic competitions (where they often wore eye-catching outfits and led cheers from the stands). Along the way, he earned the nickname that has followed him everywhere and the family has adopted with pride.
"They couldn't remember Yarabeck ... I came in, and one of them just busted out with, 'Here comes Dean Yo!'" he said. "It's been 25 years."
The family, sometimes referred to as the "Yos" (Rachel, aka Mama Yo, and daughter Caroline, aka C-Yo), eventually took their nicknames and enthusiasm for students to McMurray University when John became dean of students and campus life. He said that, while part of his job at any campus he comes to is to "help students have fun ... and to deal with them when they have too much," he also fosters a culture where students are excited to be on campus and active in each other's lives.
"You want students to be active outside of the classroom, join groups and organizations, get involved on campus, attend the athletic events," he said. "We want our athletes to join other clubs and organizations so that they'll bring those people to athletic events. We want them to get involved."
The Yarabecks said they immediately liked the feeling they got when they came to inquire about the dean of students position at Morehead State and saw a friendly, engaging community; they were excited to join and help grow. John hopes to use the combination of his youthful enthusiasm and his years of valuable experience to help mentor other Student Affairs staff. He also wants to make sure to direct students to job opportunities, promote mental health resources and do his part to give Eagles an experience marked by fond memories as much as by success.
"We want people to be excited about being here, and if they're excited about being here, they're going to be less likely to go home on the weekend. They're going to want to stay here," he said. "We want to build that sense of community, that sense of value, and there is that (here), but we want to extend that."
In addition to extending the sense of community at MSU, John hopes that as dean of students, he and his office can be the place students can always come for guidance and support at any point in their college journey.
“The University can initially seem large and overwhelming. This can cause students additional anxiety and stress. I want everyone to know students are invited to come to our office with any issue they are experiencing and are struggling to know how to address,” he said. “We will point them in the right direction or find someone to work directly with them with the goal of empowering them to discover what they need to effectively address their issue."
To learn more about the Dean of Students in the Division of Student Affairs, call 606-783-2070.