Big shoes to fill

Hello Park School students, colleagues, alumni, and fans:

As you know, Dean Dianne Lynch has accepted a wonderful opportunity to become President at Stephens College, and I'll be Interim Dean for the next academic year. She certainly leaves big (red!) shoes to fill, and we all are indebted to her for her visionary leadership and boundless energy.

I may be new to the Dean's suite, but I'm not new to Ithaca College's School of Communications. In fact, I began here as (what I thought at that time would be) just a summer student taking some TV-Radio production courses. When I pulled up to the campus, however, I started to fall in love. And after I experienced a wonderful summer of learning and great teamwork among my fellow students, I was hooked. I transferred into the College and graduated from the TV-R department in (gasp!) 1974.

After 5 years in graduate school, I was recruited back to teach in what was then called the Educational Communications Department (now Strategic Communication) -- and lo and behold 30 years later, here I am. (Well, there were a few department and graduate program chair stints, 2 years as Associate Dean, and a year as Interim Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies on the journey here.) Needless to say, I'm honored and excited to lead the School, and I'm especially eager to meet our new students.

I'll keep up many of Dean Lynch's wonderful traditions, including this blog -- so please send me information that you'd like me to share. I'm also very interested in your ideas about the future of the Park School at this important juncture in our history.

Hope to see you around campus, in the studios, at some of our fascinating lectures and screenings, and up in the Dean's suite. Stop by and say hello -- and if you're not in Ithaca, please do so by phone or email.