As dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and professor of English at the
State University of New York at Oswego, McCormick has worked extensively on faculty
recruitment and development as well as the development and support of initiatives
designed to build and strengthen interdisciplinary collaborations within the college
and across the university. McCormick will replace Takita Sumter, a professor of biochemistry and a Provost Faculty
Fellow, who served for a year as interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences
and will return to the Provost's Office.
ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA — Adrienne McCormick has been named dean of Winthrop University's College of Arts and Sciences effective July 1.
Chosen from a broad applicant pool, McCormick and three other finalists interviewed
on campus with faculty, staff, students, and administrators and met with Rock Hill
community leaders. McCormick will replace Takita Sumter, a professor of biochemistry and a Provost Faculty Fellow, who served for a year
as interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and will return to the Provost's Office.
"I appreciate the time and effort the search committee members put into this very
important work. The committee did a great job of bringing four exceptional candidates
to campus," said Debra Boyd, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. "I also want to thank
Dr. Sumter for her excellent work as interim dean."
Winthrop administrators noted that McCormick's successful experience in strategic
areas made her an ideal candidate for the position. As dean of the College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences and professor of English at the State University of New York at Oswego, McCormick has worked extensively on faculty recruitment and development as well
as the development and support of initiatives designed to build and strengthen interdisciplinary
collaborations within the college and across the university. She has also provided
leadership in external relations, partnership building, fundraising, and fiscal management.
Boyd noted that McCormick brings the broad range of academic and administrative experience required for the dean of Winthrop's largest and most academically diverse college.
"Her successful, collaborative leadership has shown her strong commitment to student
success and her clear understanding of the complex nature of both the higher education
landscape and the specific conditions of the university. As a campus leader, she has
prioritized consultation and communication and placed a high value on collaborative
processes and planning."
McCormick said she is thrilled to be joining the team at Winthrop. "Your dedication
to civic engagement, integrative learning, and student-centered programs exemplifies
the best of what higher education has to offer today's students," she said. "The faculty,
staff, administrators, and students I met while on campus impressed me with their
diverse passions and commitments; and I can't wait to get to work for and with the
entire Winthrop community."
An English professor, McCormick earned her doctorate in English and a graduate certificate
in women's studies from the University of Maryland at College Park before joining the State University of New York at Fredonia in 1998. She worked there in several roles: as interim associate provost for curriculum,
assessment and academic support, interim assistant provost for special initiatives,
chair of the Department of English, and director of the Women's Studies Program.
McCormick also holds a master's degree with a creative thesis in poetry from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a bachelor's degree in English literature and dramatic arts and sciences from
Queens University of Charlotte. She is the author of book chapters and articles in peer-reviewed journals
on contemporary women poets, filmmakers, and dramatists.
Winthrop's College of Arts and Sciences is the academic home to 14 departments with more than 2,000 undergraduate students
majoring in 19 areas across the humanities, sciences and social sciences; five interdisciplinary
programs; and more than 300 graduate students in nine graduate programs, including
one interdisciplinary program. In addition, the college offers courses that provide
the liberal arts foundation to all undergraduate programs on campus. The college has
a total of 230 faculty members, of whom 140 are full-time and 90 are part-time faculty
who are experienced professionals from the surrounding metropolitan area. Faculty
and administrative staff members support the academic and professional development
of students who pursue coursework and program work in the college.
Winthrop's programs of biochemistry, human nutrition and dietetics, mass communication,
and social work are nationally accredited. In addition, Winthrop's education certification
programs (biology, chemistry, English, world languages, mathematics, school psychology
and social studies within CAS) are accredited through the National Council for Accreditation
of Teacher Education.
For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at 803/323-2404 or longshawj@winthrop.edu.
