Bryant University Provost announces academic innovator Veronica McComb, Ph.D. as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences

SMITHFIELD, R.I., March 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bryant University Provost and Chief Academic Officer Glenn Sulmasy, JD, LL.M, along with President Ross Gittell, Ph.D., have announced that after an extensive national search, Veronica McComb, Ph.D., has been appointed Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

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McComb is currently Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Lenoir-Rhyne University, with three campus locations in North and South Carolina. She also served as Director of the University Honors Academy, Academic Chair for History, and Program Coordinator for Africana Studies at Lenoir-Rhyne.

"We are very excited to welcome Dr. Veronica McComb to Bryant's academic leadership team," said Provost Sulmasy. "She is widely recognized for her collaborative leadership, forward thinking, and passion for academic excellence. Dr. McComb also brings with her deep experience in innovative program development and strategic planning."

"Since the University's College of Arts and Sciences and integrated business and liberal arts curriculum was introduced in 2004, Bryant has been at the forefront in preparing students with the combination of hard and soft critical skills most in demand by employers," noted President Gittell. "As Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Veronica McComb will play a crucial role in further advancing our curriculum's distinction and relevance that gives students strong preparation for career success and community contributions."

"The issues affecting higher education make it clear that who is teaching and who is learning is changing in the 21st century," McComb said in accepting the appointment, effective July 1. "Whether it is accelerating the transition from traditional disciplines to interdisciplinary thinking or enhancing the curriculum to integrate the genders, races, classes, ethnicities, faiths, and abilities of experts and learners, change is essential for today's academic institutions. This is a critical time for us to cultivate 21st century leaders, and Bryant University is poised to lead in this arena."

McComb received her Ph.D. in American and New England Studies from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts degree, Senior Fellow with Honors Film & Television Studies, from Dartmouth College. Prior to her roles at Lenoir-Rhyne University, she was a member of the faculty at Boston University and Wheelock College. Her research and teaching interests include American cultural history; race, ethnicity, and immigration; African diaspora; film and television studies; religious identities; and digital storytelling.

As Dean of Bryant's College of Arts and Sciences, McComb will succeed Wendy Samter, Ph.D., who co-chaired the search with Vice President for Enrollment Management Michelle Cloutier.

Contact: Cecilia Cooper | Director, Public Relations | 401-232-6932

About Bryant University

For 158 years, Bryant University has been at the forefront of delivering an exceptional education that anticipates the future and prepares students to be innovative leaders of character in a changing world. Located on a contemporary campus in Smithfield, R.I., Bryant enrolls approximately 3,800 undergraduate and graduate students from 38 states and 49 countries. Bryant is recognized as a leader in international education and regularly receives top rankings from U.S. News and World Report, Money, Bloomberg Businessweek, Wall Street Journal, College Factual, and Barron's. Visit https://www.bryant.edu/. 

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