Kent State Announces New Dean for Trumbull Campus

WARREN, Ohio — Lance Grahn, a history professor at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Ark., has been named dean and chief administrative officer at Kent State University at Trumbull. Grahn, who was hired following a national search, will begin his duties July 1.

“We are fortunate to have joining our Kent State family a professor, administrator and leader of Dr. Grahn’s caliber and experience,” said Todd Diacon, KSU’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. As a department chair, dean and provost, Grahn “has excelled at combining the highest commitment to academic excellence with notable successes in promoting community and workforce development,” he noted.

Grahn succeeds Wanda Thomas, who has served as interim dean of Kent State Trumbull since May 2013 while maintaining her roles as associate provost and dean of the Regional College.

“I am thrilled to join the Kent State University at Trumbull community,” Grahn said. “Its faculty, staff and community friends greatly impressed me with their talent, energy and optimism, and so too did President [Beverly] Warren, Provost Diacon and the search committee. This is an exciting time for Kent State and its eight campuses, and I am honored to have been asked to participate in the dynamism of a great university. My wife and I are excited about our upcoming move to Northeast Ohio, and we look forward to helping Kent State Trumbull build on its strong record of academic success and service to the region.”

Grahn joined the University of Central Arkansas in 2008, serving as a professor in the history department. From 2008 to 2012, he also served as provost and dean of faculty/vice president for academic affairs where he was the chief academic officer with oversight of 80 baccalaureate programs, 31 master’s degrees, five doctorates and four terminal degree programs, all housed in six academic colleges.

He also has worked at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point where he was dean of the College of Letters and Science, Marquette University where he chaired the history department, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Calvin College and Radford University. He also has held a variety of other professional leadership roles during his more than 30 years in higher education.

In addition to receiving various professional teaching and faculty excellence awards as well as grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Grahn has written or co-authored several books, journal articles and book chapters.

Pictured: Lance Grahn, incoming dean and chief administrative officer at Kent State University at Trumbull

SOURCE: Kent State University

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.

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