A well-rounded scholar is one who is fully engaged in the dialogue of the profession and contributes to improve one's home institution by implementing the best practices of the discipline. I have had the unique privilege to serve in a variety of roles at a variety of institutional levels, including departmental roles like Head, Coordinator of the French Language Program and Director of Graduate Studies in Modern Languages; university roles like Graduate Council representative and reviewer for the university research and travel grant awards (Faculty Development Awards & University Small Research Grants); and professional roles like delegate to the Modern Language Association. Currently, I have the honor of serving as Associate Dean for Student Success, Engagement and Undergraduate Studies at Kansas State University. Whether it is spearheading initiatives like career development and mentoring across the College of Arts and Sciences or supporting the Dept. of Modern Languages Student Research Forum, Initials, in order to increase visibility and access to our students' scholarly and creative endeavors, or chairing a university taskforce, I believe that service is crucial to furthering our mission.
Please consult myCV for a detailed list of my administrative experience and service.
Statement of Leadership Style
I seek to encourage and empower. Through a varied, inclusive, and flexible approach, I work to build bridges and foster the development of new procedures and ideas that will benefit all involved. This approach must be balanced with a keen understanding of the objectives of one’s work and an analysis of the challenges that face a particular committee or unit. I believe strongly in promoting dialogue and a fair, inclusive work environment when resolving problems. My goal is to be an organized, effective, and conscientious leader, and I look for creative approaches to encourage open communication, build cohesive teams, and achieve common goals. To achieve that goal, one must treat all members of the team equitably and understand the varied nature of communication. I view my role as an engaged facilitator. Everyone has a different style of interaction and communication, and it is crucial to make space for all to have a seat at the table, to empower colleagues to share their views and to ensure each member has agency to act and engage as needed. To manage effectively, one must be a committed member of the team. I believe in accountability, particularly my own, when collaborating with colleagues or with students. To this end, I work to set achievable goals for all involved, myself included, that will help to move the committee or team towards succeeding in the stated mission. Identifying metrics for success helps to evaluate progress in complicated moments and determine a change in action if indicated. Drawing upon my varied experience in instruction and service as well as my training in pedagogy and effective instructional strategies, I bring a diverse and flexible approach to management. It is imperative to focus on the objectives, facilitate dialogue among team members, and encourage creativity and flexibility to resolve issues as they appear. By focusing on team building, inclusiveness, dialogue, and empowerment, I create opportunities for reflection and success.
Statement of Leadership & Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Institutions of higher education, particularly land-grant institutions, have a responsibility to create new knowledge and work towards creating a better, more inclusive society. To truly accomplish transformational change, we must attend to the imperative for diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and well-being at every level and in every facet of what we do. From instructional practice to curricular design to institutional structure and leadership philosophy, we must ensure that a commitment to inclusivity and diversity remains firmly at the center of our practices. At its core, this means caring about others, creating space for plurality and ensuring that all members of the community are seen, heard, and supported. It also means acknowledging that accomplishments in this area are never the sole achievement of a singular person but rather the result of concerted effort on the part of many working together. Moreover, true change is not marked by singular achievements but by a long-term commitment.
I have leveraged my position in the department of Modern Languages and the College of Arts & Sciences at Kansas State University to undertake programmatic initiatives focused on diversifying the curriculum and our practice. In conjunction with the department’s curriculum committee, we developed the introductory course “Multilingualism in the US” to raise awareness of the rich linguistic diversity in the US as opposed to asserting a hegemonic, monolingual English-language reality. In my first year as department head, I collaborated with the Foundation and donors to secure funding targeting support for first-generation students with a four-year scholarship, enhancing access. My colleague, Dr. Mayte DePaoli, and I partnered with the Dow Multicultural Center to offer a biannual multilingual literacy symposium to examine the status of languages other than English in the US. Most recently, I worked with our College of Education to develop a partnership with the Citizen Potawatomi Nation to offer an introductory Potawatomi language and culture class online at K-State in 2022 and 2023. Citizen Potawatomi Nation’s Department of Education have done a brilliant job of designing this course and it is exciting to create an opportunity to increase understanding of and appreciation for this indigenous language. These achievements are collaborative because change cannot happen individually but requires effectively coordinating and bringing the right stakeholders together to achieve the outcome. Most recently, I have charged a taskforce to review persistence in Arts and Sciences and begin to examine equity gaps across our college with a goal of identifying actionable steps to create greater retention and eliminate barriers to educational access. In these small ways, I have worked to support DEIB initiatives in concrete and sustainable ways.