Erik S. Farley graduated from Denison University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. He earned a master of arts in educational leadership from Eastern Michigan University (EMU), where his experience included two years as an academic intervention specialist in EMU's Holman Learning Center and an administrative internship in the Office of Multicultural Affairs at Ursuline College.

Farley's work at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis., as the Assistant Dean of Students for Multicultural Affairs, included serving as the administrative department head for the Office of Multicultural Affairs and director of their Diversity Center. His primary objective was to actively develop and sustain various aspects of multiculturalism throughout the university and Fox Cities communities in general, and the division of Student Affairs in particular. He established working relationships with students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community agencies based on the importance of diversity in leadership development. He also helped establish Lawrence’s Posse Foundation, Inc. partnership with the New York site office.

Currently, Farley serves as the Associate Dean of Students and Director of Multi-Cultural Student Affairs at Denison University. His responsibilities include providing the overall design and coordination of programming with regard to diversity and multi-cultural relations. He organizes and conducts the Paving the Way pre-orientation to assist traditionally underrepresented student populations in transitioning to the academic, cultural and social climate at Denison University, as well as collaborates with other academic and administrative offices in collecting, analyzing and disseminating data on multi-cultural students including longitudinal retention studies. Farley also oversees the Posse program at Denison as its Program Director.