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Statement from Dr. Pamela Fox, president of Mary Baldwin College regarding the selection of Dr. Catharine O'Connell

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2009-01-14

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(This is the announcement sent to all members of the Mary Baldwin College community)

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Catharine O’Connell as Mary Baldwin College’s Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of the College, and Professor of English, effective July 1, 2009. She will be responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction for all undergraduate and graduate academic programs of the college.

Dr. O’Connell is an ideal match in experience and expertise for Mary Baldwin College. A warm and dynamic leader with an impressive record of teaching, scholarship, and administration, she brings a breadth of background in education and innovative achievements. Her administrative achievements with civic and global engagement, first-year pedagogies, and faculty development will be particularly valuable as we move forward with the next five years of Mary Baldwin’s strategic plan.

Dr. O’Connell comes to us from Defiance College in Ohio, where she is provost and vice president for academic affairs. Her educational pedigree includes graduating summa cum laude from Amherst College and earning her MA and PhD in American culture from the University of Michigan. She has experienced first-hand the benefits of single-sex education at an all-girls preparatory school.

Dr. Edward Scott has my deepest appreciation and respect. When I asked him to give up time in the classroom — which he so passionately loves — in order to serve the college as interim dean and VPAA, he did so cheerfully and energetically, and for longer than he originally planned. He has been an insightful, supportive, and inspiring colleague, helping to conduct the administrative business of the college while always advocating for the faculty and academic programs. Please join me in thanking and congratulating him for a job well done.

I also want to extend my deepest gratitude to Dr. Roderic Owen, search committee chair, who provided outstanding leadership throughout the entire process, and to all members of the search committee, who exhibited the highest professional dedication and judgment: Dr. Lewis Askegaard, Ms. Carol Creager, Dr. Susan Green, Dr. Jack Kibler, Dr. Anne McGovern, Dr. Steven Mosher, Dr. John Ong, Dr. Laura van Assendelft, Ms. Casby Stainback ’09, and Dr. Sue Whitlock of the Board of Trustees.

Dr. O’Connell will move to the Shenandoah Valley with her husband Matt and their two children, Victor and Ruth. She has much to contribute to Mary Baldwin College, and I am very excited about our future work together. I am delighted to welcome her to our wonderful institution as a colleague.