Chadron State College Professor of Communications Arts Dr Shaunda French-Collins has been named the school’s Interim Dean of Graduate Studies and the School of Business, Math, and Science.
French-Collins, a faculty member since 2011 and CSC’s 2021 Teaching Excellence Award winner, replaces longtime faculty member and administrator Dr Wendy Waugh, who is leaving for a similar post at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln.
Chadron State Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr Jim Powell says French Collins, a department chair and the person who brought The Big Event to CSC, is a perfect fit for Interim Dean.
Dr Powell says the Emerging Leaders Program, sponsored by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, turned out to be an even better fit for French-Collins as she becomes interim dean.
French-Collins says she’s excited to be the Interim Dean and to support students, faculty, and staff across campus in new ways from her new position.
When Chadron State switched to its current system of department chairs, College President Dr Randy Rhine says the idea was to give more professors a taste of being an administrator in hopes they would later pursue such positions.
Vice President Powell thinks her experience as department chair helped French Collins decide to accept the one-year appointment as Interim Dean.
 A national search for a permanent Dean of Graduate Studies and the School of Business, Math, and Science will begin later this fall.