Wilberforce University has appointed Dr. Vann R. Newkirk to serve as its next president. Dr. Newkirk will be the 23rd president of the country's oldest private historically Black university beginning in July, 2023. Dr. Newkirk brings a wealth of experience in higher education, having served in various leadership roles at several institutions. He presently serves as an interim associate vice president at Alabama A & M University in Huntsville, and is a former president of the historic Fisk University in Nashville (TN) where he also served as provost and vice president of academic affairs. Dr. Newkirk holds a B.S. in sociology from Barber-Scotia College, an M.A. in history from Winthrop University, an M.S. from North Carolina Central University, and Ph.D. in history from Howard University. Read more here.
Dr. Erin Rothwell has been appointed as the new Vice President for Research at the University of Utah (the U). She will begin her role on April 17, 2023. Dr. Rothwell has been with the University since 2000 and has been a tenured professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology since 2019. She has held multiple roles related to the oversight of research, including Associate Vice President for Research Integrity and Compliance, Interim President for University of Utah Research Foundation, and, most recently, Interim Vice President for Research. Prior to postdoctoral training in Public Health and Clinical Trials, Dr. Rothwell received a B.S. in Recreation Therapy and an M.S. in Parks and Recreation Management from University of South Alabama and Ph.D. in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism from the University of Utah. Read more here.
Dr. Tamera Schneider has been appointed as the next Chair of the Department of Psychology at Arizona State University. Dr. Schneider will be starting as Chair on July 1, 2023. Dr. Schneider will be coming to ASU with extensive experience in leading university-wide research, community engagement, and diversity initiatives. She previously served as associate vice chancellor and university vice provost for research at CUNY and professor of psychology at Baruch College, CUNY. Before joining CUNY, Tamera was appointed as deputy director of the Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences in the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate at the U.S. National Science Foundation. Dr. Schneider was also Professor of Psychology in the College of Science and Mathematics at Wright State University. Dr. Schneider earned her Ph.D. in Social/Health Psychology at SUNY-Stony Brook and was a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University.
Mr. Michael Dooley has been appointed as the Business Officer in the School of Engineering and Computer Science at Baylor University. He will begin work at Baylor on May 15th, 2023. Mr. Dooley comes to Baylor from the University of Texas at Arlington, where he served as the Director of Academic Resource Planning for the College of Architecture, Planning & Public Affairs. Prior to this, he served at Oregon State University first as a Fiscal Coordinator in the Business Affairs office, and then as the Finance and Accounting Manager for the Health Sciences Business Center. He received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Certification in Human Resources Management from Linfield College.
Ms. Amanda Dobbins has been appointed as the Business Officer in the College of Arts & Sciences at Baylor University. She will begin at Baylor on April 24th. With 20 years of experience as a financial administrator and accountant, Dobbins comes to Baylor from the University of Alabama College of Education where she served as director of financial affairs from 2019-2023, as manager of fiscal and administrative affairs for the University of Alabama School of Social Work from 2015-2019, and as an accountant from 2012-2015. She served as an accountant for law firms and an industrial firm in Alabama between 2003 and 2012. Ms. Dobbins graduated cum laude with a BS in Accounting from the Mississippi University for Women.
Marshall University has appointed Dr. Maria Gindhart as the new Dean of the College of Arts & Media. She will begin on July 1st, 2023. Dr. Gindhart comes to Marshall after 11 years at Georgia State University, where she served for 4 years as the Associate Director for the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design and for the last 7 years as the Associate Dean for the College of Arts. She received an A.B. in Art History and French from Bowdoin College and an A.M. and Ph.D. in History of Art from the University of Pennsylvania. Read more here.
Marshall University has appointed Dr. Rob Quicke as the new Director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. He will begin on July 1st, 2023. Dr. Quicke comes to Marshall after 15 years at William Paterson University of New Jersey, where he held a number of roles, including General Manager of WPSC Brave New Radio, Professor of Communication, and, most recently, Chair of Communication. He received a B.A. and M.A. in English Language & Literature from Oxford University, and a Ph.D. in Communication Studies from Regent University. Read more here.
Ms. Dafna Kapshud has been appointed as the new Director of Development for the College of Health and Social Sciences at San Francisco State University. She will begin her role on April 17, 2023. Ms. Kapshud has a long history in marketing and communications. She served as the Marketing & Communications Manager at the San Mateo Community Colleges Foundation from 2017-2022, raising significant funds to benefit students even throughout the pandemic, and transitioned to Development Manager in 2022. Ms. Kapshud received a bachelor's degree in international studies from Johns Hopkins University, an MFA in arts administration from Florida State University, and a Juris Doctor from University of Florida.
Northern Illinois University has appointed Dr. Kelly Fiala as its new Dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences. She will begin on June 16th, 2023. Dr. Fiala comes to NIU after 12 years at Salisbury University, where she held a number of roles, including her most recent role as Founding Dean of the College of Health and Human Services. She received a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences (Western Michigan University), an M.S. in Sports Studies (Bemidji State University), and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology (University of Connecticut). Read more here.