Three new leadership appointees at Northern Michigan University will advance NMU's core values and strategic priorities related to inclusion and belonging, sustainability and academic excellence. Shawnrece Campbell, previously at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, is assistant vice president for Diversity and Inclusion. NMU professor and alumna Jessica Thompson is assistant vice president for Sustainability. Anne Dahlman, most recently at Minnesota State University Mankato, will begin as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs on April 1.
“It is a real privilege to welcome these talented leaders who will meaningfully advance three of our core priorities: providing all students and employees a genuine opportunity to earn success and develop a sense of belonging; pursuing a comprehensive approach to sustainability on our campus and beyond; and developing an exceptional environment for teaching, learning and scholarship,” said NMU President Brock Tessman.
Campbell was the competency-based project director and coordinator at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, which has an enrollment of 10,000. In this role, she worked directly with Latinx adult learners to provide comprehensive student support and coaching to improve student retention and accelerate degree completion. She previously served as dean of the College of Liberal Arts and director of the School of Art, Media and Communication at the university.
At Stetson University in DeLand, Fla., Campbell held numerous leadership roles: associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; president of the Stetson University American Association of University Women (AAUW) Branch; adviser and strategist for the Equity and Inclusion Group (EIG); and founding director and program chair for the adult degree completion program in organizational leadership.
Campbell earned a bachelor's in English at John Carroll University, a master's in English with a technical writing focus at Youngstown State University, an MBA at Stetson University, and her doctorate in English: African American and multicultural literature at Kent State University. She will work primarily remotely until the end of February before relocating to Marquette.
NMU created a new position of assistant vice president for Sustainability to collaborate with faculty, staff and students to significantly advance Northern's efforts in that arena. Thompson graduated from NMU in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in communication studies and public relations. Her commitment to sustainability has permeated the PR courses she teaches for the College of Business, her interdisciplinary research with colleagues to enhance climate change communication and environmental awareness, and her service activities on campus and in the community. She is a member of NMU's Carbon Neutrality Task Force and director of its Sustainability Hub for Innovation and Environment (SHINE).
Thompson's appointment expands on related initiatives. NMU had previously committed to achieving industry standards for carbon neutrality by 2050. The NMU Board of Trustees voted in December to fully divest its endowment fund from the fossil fuel industry by 2028, while also increasing sustainability-related investments by up to 15%. Trustees will also increase their support for EcoReps, a peer-to-peer sustainability education program, by sponsoring a signature Green Fund project and planning at least one Zero Waste awareness event in 2024.
“Hiring the AVP for Diversity and Inclusion and the AVP for Sustainability under the People, Culture and Wellbeing pillar of the president's university alignment plan demonstrates NMU's commitment to the Okanagan Charter and our holistic approach to supporting well-being for our students, faculty and staff," said Rhea Dever, vice president for People, Culture and Wellbeing.
Dahlman's appointment as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs was announced on Jan. 5 (read the full story here). Her higher education experience spans 27 years as a teacher, faculty scholar and administrator. She most recently served as interim associate provost and interim dean of global education at Minnesota State University Mankato, where she advanced through the faculty ranks and various leadership positions over the past 17 years.
Dahlman earned her first master's degree in Swedish/German education from the University of Joensuu in Finland, her native country, and her subsequent master's degrees in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and German from Colorado State University. She completed her doctoral degree in curriculum and instruction at the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities in 2005. Her dissertation research focused on second language teachers' process of learning to teach.