New Administrative Duties for 10 Women at Colleges and Universities Across the United States

Tracy Tara Arwari was appointed assistant dean of student success for the College of Arts and Sciences at Syracuse University in New York. She was director of student support and family engagement at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Arwari is a graduate of the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. She holds a master’s degree in Latin American studies from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and a doctorate in higher education administration from George Washington University.

Rica Calhoun is the new chief ethics and compliance officer at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. She has been serving as general counsel for Western Illinois University. She joined the staff there seven years ago as assistant director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access.

Calhoun holds a master’s degree in international affairs from Florida State University and a juris doctorate from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Debbie White was named vice president of administration and finance at Peru State College in Nebraska. She has been serving as budget fiscal officer for the College of Arts and Sciences at Kansas State University.

White holds a bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University and an MBA from Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas.

Kathleen M. Wilbur was named executive vice president for government and external relations at Michigan State University. She was vice president for government and external relations at Central Michigan University, where she had served as interim president in 2009-10.

Dr. Wilbur holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism, a master’s degree in education, and a Ph.D. in higher education administration, all from Michigan State University.

Kimberly Ferguson-Scott is the new vice chancellor for student affairs at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She was vice president and dean of students at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Ferguson-Scott is the former dean of students at Spelman College in Atlanta. She holds a Ph.D. from Ohio University.

Patricia A. Cunetto was named director of development for University Libraries at Mississippi State University. She is development director for the College of Education and will continue in that role in addition to her new duties.

Cunetto is a graduate of Mississippi State University, where she majored in elementary education.

Akua Johnson Matherson was promoted to associate vice chancellor for administration and finance at North Carolina Central University in Durham. She was director of budget and financial planning at the university.

Matherson holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in adult education from North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro.

Liliana Gehring is the new chief of strategy and operations in the College of Science at Clemson University in South Carolina. For the past 27 years, she has been employed by the pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly & Co.

Gehring holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA from Indiana University.

Lydia Travis was appointed director of athletics at the City College of New York. She was the assistant director of athletics for Queens College of the City University of New York. Earlier, she served as assistant athletic director for internal relations and senior woman administrator at Kentucky State University.

Travis holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sports management from Virginia State University.

Dee Dee Anderson was named vice president for student affairs at the University of Southern Mississippi. She was interim vice chancellor for student development at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.

Dr. Anderson holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, master’s degrees in elementary education and industrial and organizational psychology, and a doctorate in education leadership, all from Louisiana Tech University.