Villanova Names New B-School Dean

Joyce E.A. Russell. University of Maryland

Joyce E.A. Russell. University of Maryland

Joyce E.A. Russell has been named the Helen and William O’Toole Dean of the Villanova School of Business, effective Aug. 1.

Russell has been senior associate dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland-College Park since 2015; prior to that she served as vice dean at the Smith School for three years.

“Dr. Russell’s proven track record as a visionary leader makes her a perfect fit to lead the Villanova School of Business into its next great chapter,” Villanova University President Peter M. Donohue said in a news release Monday. “Dr. Russell is a true teacher-scholar, who has been recognized for her teaching and research, as well as her commitment to service. We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Russell to the Villanova community and look forward to continuing to see the School of Business thrive under her leadership.”

Her responsibilities at the Smith School, No. 35 in the 2015 Poets&Quants MBA rankings, have included leading both undergraduate and graduate business programs and assisting with management of the school’s $90 million budget. She also served as director of the Executive Coaching and Leadership Development Program for the Smith School’s EMBA program and its corporate clients.

Russell called the Villanova appointment “a tremendous honor and privilege” and noted Villanova’s “academic rigor based on a strong liberal arts foundation and firm grounding in ethics,” as well as its “hands-on experiential learning opportunities and impressive commitment to creativity and innovation.”

Villanova University Provost Patrick G. Maggitti said the B-school was focused on “finding an individual with proven leadership skills, an eye for innovation and a collaborative style,” and Russell “brings all these qualities, plus an outstanding record of research and teaching, to this role.”

At Maryland, Russell helped form the Smith School’s strategic plan and “spearheaded the creation of innovative programs across the School,” according to the news release, including the Office of Transformational Learning which “promotes cutting-edge ideas in business pedagogy and curriculum.” She is also currently a columnist for The Washington Post.

As dean of the Villanova School of Business, Russell will oversee an annual budget of more than $30 million.

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