On the heels of being named the #1 Undergrad Business School in the country, Villanova has named a new dean for the Villanova School of Business.
Here is Fr. Peter's announcement...
Dear Alumni, Parents and Friends:
Provost Maggitti and I are extremely pleased to announce the appointment of Joyce E.A. Russell, PhD, as The Helen and William O’Toole Dean of the Villanova School of Business, effectiveAugust 1. This appointment is the result of a rigorous national search that produced a pool of highly-qualified and impressive candidates. We are confident that Dr. Russell’s proven track record as a visionary leader and her excellence in teaching, research and service make her a perfect fit to lead the School of Business into its next great chapter.Dr. Russell currently serves as Senior Associate Dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business at The University of Maryland at College Park (UMD), which has nearly 5,000 students and more than 200 full- and part-time faculty. She previously served as Vice Dean, and in these roles, Dr. Russell’s responsibilities included leading both undergraduate and graduate business programs, overseeing corporate and global partnerships, assisting with management of the school’s $90 million budget, and working to create and implement its strategic plan. She also served as the Director of the Executive Coaching and Leadership Development Program for the Smith School’s nationally ranked EMBA program and its corporate clients. Before coming to UMD, Dr. Russell served as Full Professor in the Department of Management at the University of Tennessee, and she earned her PhD and MA in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from The University of Akron and her BA from Loyola University of Maryland.
At UMD, Dr. Russell has worked collaboratively with leadership and other constituencies at the Smith School—including faculty, students, staff, alumni and donors—to build a strategic vision that has enabled the school to grow in both prominence and reputation. She is an innovator, creating new graduate programs and the Office of Transformational Learning, which promotes cutting-edge ideas in business pedagogy and curriculum. Dr. Russell is also a strong advocate for engagement and inclusiveness, having created, and currently chairing, the Smith School’s Diversity Council, and serving as a member of the Provost’s Task Force on Diversity.
A true teacher-scholar, Dr. Russell has been recognized with numerous awards for her excellence in instruction, research and service. She is known as an outstanding professor and advisor, specializing in the areas of leadership, negotiations, management and career development. She also has demonstrated a deep commitment to strengthening the role of research and actively supporting and promoting faculty and student success. Dr. Russell is also heavily involved in service pursuits both within the University and outside of it, serving as a volunteer at non-profit organizations and as a member of several boards.
Dr. Russell is an accomplished author who has been widely published in scholarly journals and books, and currently is a weekly columnist for The Washington Post. She also serves on several professional boards and is highly sought after as a keynote speaker and panelist for summits and conferences held by national and international corporations and organizations.
I would also like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Daniel Wright, PhD, who served as Interim Dean this past year. Dr. Wright has been a wonderful representative and advocate for VSB during this transition. His leadership has helped to keep VSB on an upward trajectory, and I am very appreciative for everything he has done for the college and the University. Lastly, I would like to thank the entire search committee—faculty, students, administrators and alumni—for their thorough efforts to identify the right candidate to lead the School of Business.
Please join me in congratulating and welcoming Joyce as she takes on this role at Villanova.
Sincerely,
Fr. Peter Donohue, OSA
President
