New Dean of Students Mary Spellman
New administrator seeks to improve quality of student life
Linnea Powell
Last Updated: 3/6/10 Section: Campus
CMC's new Dean of Students, Mary Spellman, comes to CMC after working as the Dean of Students at Sarah Lawrence College in New York for the past five years. She graciously agreed to sit down for an interview with the CI.
Linnea Powell: What is your impression of CMC so far?
Mary Spellman: I love CMC. It's been great. The people have been incredibly welcoming. The students are bright, respectful, and professional. I went to the Ath one day, and I was surprised. I know they have to dress up, but students are dressed up and they are dressed up appropriately. It was really nice to have students so welcoming. They hadn't even met me, but they came out of their way to see me. It's been a great place. It feels like being at home already.
LP: Why did you choose to come to CMC over another school?
MS: I wasn't actually looking for a job. Dean Huang sought me out. I had been a candidate for another job, which was actually at Harvey Mudd, and Dean Huang approached me later when the Dean of Students position became available and suggested that I look at it. So I wasn't actually looking for a job. I had been a candidate, but I was very happy where I was at. This was just a great opportunity. CMC is in my family. My sister is an alumna. I decided between Occidental and CMC many years ago. I decided not to apply to CMC because my sister was already here. CMC is a place that I have always been connected with and always really admired, so it was a wonderful opportunity to come be a part of it.
LP: Why did CMC decide to separate the roles of Dean of Students and Vice President of Student Affairs?
MS: Up until a few years ago, when Dean Huang became the Vice President, there was a Dean of Students and a Vice President. When Dean Sun went into development and Dean Huang moved up, the school decided to use the model that the other four colleges use and combine the two positions. Over time the position has just really grown and Dean Huang felt that the students needed more day-to-day hands-on from the dean. He was getting pulled in both directions - wanting to be there for students, but also doing the behind the scenes stuff that you need to do in the Vice President position, so they decided to split the position again.
Linnea Powell: What is your impression of CMC so far?
Mary Spellman: I love CMC. It's been great. The people have been incredibly welcoming. The students are bright, respectful, and professional. I went to the Ath one day, and I was surprised. I know they have to dress up, but students are dressed up and they are dressed up appropriately. It was really nice to have students so welcoming. They hadn't even met me, but they came out of their way to see me. It's been a great place. It feels like being at home already.
LP: Why did you choose to come to CMC over another school?
MS: I wasn't actually looking for a job. Dean Huang sought me out. I had been a candidate for another job, which was actually at Harvey Mudd, and Dean Huang approached me later when the Dean of Students position became available and suggested that I look at it. So I wasn't actually looking for a job. I had been a candidate, but I was very happy where I was at. This was just a great opportunity. CMC is in my family. My sister is an alumna. I decided between Occidental and CMC many years ago. I decided not to apply to CMC because my sister was already here. CMC is a place that I have always been connected with and always really admired, so it was a wonderful opportunity to come be a part of it.
LP: Why did CMC decide to separate the roles of Dean of Students and Vice President of Student Affairs?
MS: Up until a few years ago, when Dean Huang became the Vice President, there was a Dean of Students and a Vice President. When Dean Sun went into development and Dean Huang moved up, the school decided to use the model that the other four colleges use and combine the two positions. Over time the position has just really grown and Dean Huang felt that the students needed more day-to-day hands-on from the dean. He was getting pulled in both directions - wanting to be there for students, but also doing the behind the scenes stuff that you need to do in the Vice President position, so they decided to split the position again.
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Russian Wives
posted 3/19/10 @ 3:16 AM PST
This is a fantastic article! But, either I?m blind, or you son?t seem to have much information
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