Seven Women Named to Dean Positions at Major Universities

Bridgette Young Ross will be the dean of the chapel and spiritual life at Emory University in Atlanta. For the past five years, Rev. Ross has been the assistant general secretary of the United Methodist Church General Board of Higher Education and Ministry in Nashville, Tennessee. From 2000 to 2009, she was associate dean of the chapel at Emory. She will begin her new duties at Emory on July 1.

A native of Chicago, Rev. Ross is a graduate of the Illinois Institute of Technology, where she majored in management and marketing. She holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina and a master of divinity degree from the Gammon Seminary of the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta.

Fontaine-SherylSheryl Fontaine was appointed dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at California State University, Fullerton. She has served in the post on an interim basis since August 2013. Dr. Fontaine joined the faculty at the university in 1990 and currently serves as a professor of English, comparative literature, and linguistics.

Professor Fontaine holds a Ph.D. in English and American literature from the University of California, San Diego.

beverly_wendlandBeverly Wendland was named interim dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Dr. Wendland is a professor and chair of the department of biology at the university.

Professor Wendland joined the Johns Hopkins faculty in 1998. She is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego and holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Stanford University.

VandiverVikki L. Vandiver was appointed dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Alabama. Dr. Vandiver has been on the faculty at Portland State University in Oregon since 1992. In 2012, she was named associate dean for academic affairs at the School of Social Work at Portland State. She is co-editor of the journal Best Practices in Mental Health and is the author of Integrating Health Promotion and Mental Health: An Introduction to Policies, Principles, and Practices (Oxford University Press, 2009).

Dr. Vandiver holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master of social work degree from the University of Houston. She earned a doctor of public health degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center.

BainAnn B. Bain was named the founding dean of College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She is currently serving as the interim dean of the College of Science and chair of the department of nursing at the university. She will begin her duties as dean on July 1.

Dr. Bain joined the faculty at the university n 1987. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from the University of Central Arkansas and an educational doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Lovell-KolvoordSharon Lovell is the new dean of the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She has been serving as interim dean since July 2012. She has been a member of the faculty at the university since 1990.

Dr. Lovell holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from James Madison University. She earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in organizational/industrial psychology from Bowling Green State University in Kentucky.

Tarrell_Portman_SmallpngTarrell Awe Agahe Portman was appointed dean of the College of Education at Winona State University in Minnesota. She was an associate professor in the College of Education at the University of Iowa from 2005 to 2014.

Dr. Portman holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. She earned a doctorate in counselor education and supervision from the University of Arkansas.

Related Articles

Latest News

Data Shows High Attrition Rates for Women in STEM Degree Programs

For women who began their four-year college career in a STEM discipline, 14 percent dropped out of college and 32 percent switched to a non-STEM major before earning their degree.

Monique Guillory Named Ninth President of Dillard University

Dr. Guillory has served as Dillard University's interim president for the past seven months. Her background includes over three decades of higher education administration experience.

Lynne Coy-Organ Is the First Woman President of Husson University

Lynne Coy-Organ has been named the first woman president of Husson University in Maine. She has served as the university's provost and senior vice president for academic affairs for the past 15 years.

Donna Hedgepath Will Be the First Woman President of Wayland Baptist University

Current provost of Campbellsville University in Kentucky, Donna Hedgepath, has been named president of Wayland Baptist University in Texas, making her the first woman to be selected for the position.

Three Women Scholars Appointed to Provost Positions

The new provosts are Elizabeth Dumont at the University of California, Merced, Marguerite Giguette at Xavier University in New Orleans, and Margaret Brown Marsden at Midwestern State University in Texas.

MOSDOH – Dean of the Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health

The dean serves as the chief academic and administrative officer for MOSDOH, leading a mission-driven dental school known for innovation, community partnerships, and service to the underserved.

Vice President for Administrative Services and Chief Financial Officer

The successful candidate will have a strong financial and administrative background and demonstrated ability to excel in a fast-paced, dynamic and complex community college that values integrity, excellence, empowerment, inclusiveness, collaboration and stewardship.

Instructional Professor in Law, Letters, and Society (Open Rank)

The Social Sciences Collegiate Division at the University of Chicago is now accepting applications for a full-time Instructional Professor who will teach in the program in Law, Letters, and Society.

Instructor, Economics

The Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics at the University of Chicago invites applications for tenure-track faculty positions in Economics at the Instructor position level to begin in the 2025-26 academic year and is renewable for up to three years.

Vice Chancellor for Student Success

The Vice Chancellor for Student Success will be a strategic, student-centered, data-informed, systems thinker who thrives in a fast paced, high-achieving environment.