John Summerlot

John Summerlot, who was appointed director of emergency management and continuity for Bloomington and the Southern Divisions in 2022, has over 20 years of experience working in higher education, particularly in the areas of emergency management, student affairs and veteran/military affairs. He is also a historian and studies the history of IU and IU-connected people and previously served as university coordinator of military and veteran services.

He is an internationally certified emergency manager and holds national search-and-rescue certifications as a technician, search manager and instructor. He has also served as an adjunct instructor in higher education for over 20 years.

Summerlot has led projects resulting in three national best practice awards and two FEMA honorable mentions, and he served three years on the Governing Board of the American College Personnel Association. He has numerous publications and presentations on a range of topics, including risk management in student organizations, missing students, campus climate toward veterans, veteran success and IU history.

He is particularly interested in IU history related to the military, student life and underrepresented populations, and he is the chair of the IU Golden Book Project. Summerlot served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps and six years in the Army National Guard, during which he earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy and history and his master’s degree in counseling, both from Mississippi State University. He has served in the Indiana Guard Reserve since 2012.

Areas of Expertise

IU history, history of military science/ROTC, GI Bill, veteran identity, college veteran issues, search and rescue, missing students, risk management for student organizations, emergency preparedness, campus free speech practices.