Damon Sims began as Vice President for Student Affairs on August 1, 2008 after serving in various administrative and teaching roles at Indiana University since 1982. Damon received his BA in Political Science and History, did graduate work in Journalism, and completed his Doctorate in Jurisprudence at Indiana University's flagship campus in Bloomington. He is a native of New Albany, Indiana.
Damon is an affiliate Associate Professor in both the Dickinson School of Law and the College of Education at Penn State. He is a licensed attorney who has served as an advocate on behalf of children and victims of abuse, consults with other colleges and universities about legal issues affecting students, and has served on various state and regional boards and commissions aimed at encouraging civic awareness and engagement among young people.
Damon is married to Suzette Sims, an attorney with the firm of McQuaide Blasko. The two share their home with two sons, Ethan and Nathaniel. Their first child, Matthew, died in infancy. The family sponsors the annual Matthew Vandivier Sims Memorial Lectures in conjunction with the Poynter Center for the Study of Ethics and American Institutions at Indiana University. These lectures have featured the world's foremost scholars on legal and biomedical ethics, with particular attention to questions arising from end-of-life care.