Seven Universities Announce the Appointment of Women Scholars to Dean Positions

Susan Parish has been named dean of the College of Health Professions at Virginia Commonwealth University. She most recently served as dean and professor of health sciences in the Bouvè College of Health Sciences at Northwestern University.

Dr. Parish holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and a master of social work degree both from Rutgers University in New Jersey, and a Ph.D. from the School of Public Health at the University of Illinois Chicago.

Claire Stewart has been named dean of University Libraries at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She currently serves as associate university librarian for research and learning at the University of Minnesota Libraries.

Stewart is a graduate of St. Mary’s College where she majored in English literature with a minor in humanistic studies. She holds a master of library and information science degree from Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois.

Larisa Genin has been named dean of the W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University in Kansas. She currently serves as associate dean of the School of Economics and Business Administration at Saint Mary’s College of California.

Dr. Genin is a graduate of the University of San Francisco where she majored in business administration and international business with an emphasis on marketing. She holds an MBA in management and a doctorate in business administration in marketing both from Golden Gate University.

Gretchen Ritter was executive dean and vice provost for the College of Arts and Sciences at Ohio State University. She is the former Harold Tanner Dean of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Earlier in her career, Dr. Ritter was a professor of government and vice provost at the University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Ritter is a graduate of Cornell University, where she majored in government. She holds a Ph.D. in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Rachel Nardo will be the next dean of the Caine College of Arts at Utah State University. For the past seven years, Dr. Nardo was director of the international summer arts program in the Office of the Chancellor of the California State University System. Dr. Nardo will also hold a faculty position in the department of music at Utah State.

Dr. Nardo is a graduate of California State University, Northridge, where she majored in music. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Illinois and a doctorate in musical arts from the University of Southern California.

The University of Wyoming has named Barbara Rasco as dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. She has been serving as the director of the School of Food Science, a joint effort of Washington State University and the University of Idaho.

Dr. Rasco is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. She holds a Ph.D. in food science and nutrition from the University of Massachusetts and a law degree from Seattle University.

Tamar Szabó Gendler has been reappointed as dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Yale University. She is the Vincent J. Scully Professor of Philosophy and professor of psychology and cognitive science at Yale. In 2010, Professor Gendler became the first woman to chair the Yale philosophy department in its two-century history.

Dr. Gendler is a summa cum laude graduate of Yale University, where she double majored in humanities and mathematics-and-philosophy. She earned a Ph.D. in philosophy at Harvard University.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles

Latest News

Jennifer Glowienka Named the First Woman President of Carroll College in Montana

“I have dedicated my professional career to this remarkable institution, which prepares ethical leaders who engage the world with purpose and hope,” said Dr. Glowienka. “I look forward to strengthening and expanding the ways Carroll fulfills its mission, serving learners across all stages of their educational journey.”

Susan Stuebner Elevated to President of Simpson College in Iowa

Dr. Stuebner has led Simpson College on an interim basis since July 28. She has nearly 30 years of professional experience, including service as president of Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire.

Shari Veil Appointed Provost at North Dakota State University

“It is a privilege to work with people who care so deeply about students, discovery, and the future of North Dakota,” said Dr. Veil. “With its strong academic profile and land-grant mission, NDSU is well positioned for meaningful impact, and I look forward to partnering with my fellow Bison to advance that work.”

Mary Ann Villarreal to Lead California State University, Dominguez Hills

“As one of the most diverse campuses in the CSU system, Dominguez Hills is a vital anchor institution for the community it serves,” said Dr. Villarreal. “A beacon of inclusivity, it inspires hope – both for the community and for higher education in California.”

Penny Elkins Named the First Woman President of Mercer University

A member of the Mercer University community for over 25 years, Dr. Elkins is slated to become the institution's first woman president on January 1. She has been serving as Mercer's interim provost.

Assistant Professor Tenure Track Position — Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Cardiovascular Institute

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania seek candidates for an Assistant Professor position in the tenure track.

Assistant Professor of Political Science, Quantitative Methods

The Department of Political Science at the University of Chicago invites applications for an Assistant Professor in Quantitative Methods. This position will begin on or after July 1, 2026.

Tenure Track Position in Macro-Organizational Behavior and Organizational Theory

The University of Pittsburgh School of Business seeks to fill a full-time, tenure-track assistant or associate professor position in the Organizations and Entrepreneurship Area, starting as early as Fall 2026. 

Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery & Justice and John Carter Brown Library Joint Postdoctoral Research Associate

The Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice at Brown University and the John Carter Brown Library invite applications for a postdoctoral research associate position focused on any area/theme of historical scholarship around racial slavery, and/ or Indigenous dispossession and slavery.

Teaching Faculty Position in Information Systems and Technology Management (ISTM)

The University of Pittsburgh School of Business invites applications for a full-time, appointment-stream faculty position at the Clinical Assistant Professor level in our Information Systems and Technology Management area starting Fall 2026.