On January 1st, Dr. Jennifer Waldeck assumed the role of Acting Dean of the School of Communication. Dr. Waldeck was asked by Provost Glenn Pfeiffer to serve as Acting Dean while Dr. Lisa Sparks takes a leave of absence from her role as Dean to focus on her Congressional Campaign. In a message to the School of Communication about her new role Dr. Waldeck had this to say.

Dr. Jennifer H. Waldeck

“The Dean’s office is committed to collaborating with faculty, students, and community members to ensure that the School of Communication experience makes a continued positive impact in our students’ lives and career readiness. We do so primarily through our curriculum, student research opportunities, internships, academic advising and student life initiatives, and career advising program.

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our School. If you have questions about our program, please drop us an email or stop by our offices on the second floor of Doti Hall. Our students, parents, and alumni are the heart and soul of what we do and why we do it. So keep in touch!”

Dr. Waldeck earned her Ph.D. in Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara and has been on the communication faculty at Chapman University since 2005. Since 2014, she has served as Director of the program’s Graduate Teaching Associate program and this year has served as Associate Dean of Faculty Development and Academic Programs for the School of Communication. She is well-known throughout her field and across disciplines for her work in graduate student teacher training and development.

A specialist in organizational and instructional communication, Professor Waldeck is the author or co-author of 62 peer-reviewed publications and six books (including most recently, Strategic Communication for Organizations with Chapman faculty member Sara LaBelle and published by University of California Press). She has served in many leadership roles in her field and disciplinary areas, including in the National Communication Association and The Teaching Professor Conference advisory board for Magna Publications. She is currently First Vice President and President-Elect of the Eastern Communication Association and is planning their annual conference in Baltimore this spring.

Before assuming the role of Acting Dean, Dr. Waldeck was the Associate Dean of Faculty Development and Academic Programs. To help carry out these responsibilities, Dr. Waldeck has appointed Dr. Sara LaBelle to serve as Assistant Dean of Academic Programing and Faculty Development. In this new role, Dr. LaBelle’s primary responsibility will be serving as Associate Director of the Graduate Teaching program.

We congratulate both Dr. Waldeck and Dr. LaBelle on their new roles!