Chalk has been teaching English at the college since 2009.
MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY
By Jocelyn Visnov, Senior Writer
Bridget Chalk, Ph.D., has recently been appointed associate dean of the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences to assist faculty and students in adapting to the merger of the former School of Liberal Arts with the Kakos School of Science.
As a long-term faculty member of the former School of Liberal Arts (SoLA), Chalk is very familiar with the inner workings of various liberal arts programs as well as the core curriculum.
“There was no associate dean position before, and so I was brought on,” Chalk said. “I think I was primarily there to support Dean Kelly [because she] became the dean of a very big school, and she was used to it [the School of Science].”
Chalk has been a faculty member at the college since 2009. She’s a member of the English department and specializes in 20th and 21st-century British literature.
Throughout her career as an English professor at the college, Chalk has taught a plethora of classes including Written Communication, the Contemporary Global Novel, Introduction to 20th-century Irish Literature, the Modern English Novel and Literature and War.
Chalk has also previously served as a director of the Advanced Placement Summer Institute and created a curriculum for an English minor specifically designed for students in the O’Malley School of Business.
Chalk also noted that she was offered the associate dean position to support programs and opportunities that have previously operated under SoLA.
“Specifically when we discussed the position, I was brought on to work on things like Branigan grants and the Costello award, as well as articulation agreements with graduate schools and community colleges,” Chalk said. “But we agreed that as time goes on, we’re going to see what is needed.”
According to manhattan.edu, “As associate dean, Chalk will play a pivotal role in shaping the academic identity of the Kakos School,” the article stated. “Her responsibilities will include spearheading curricular development and program revisions and ensuring academic rigor and relevance.”
In an interview for the manhattan.edu article, Dean Marcy Kelly, Ph.D., noted her optimism for Chalk’s new position.
“Dr. Chalk’s passion for academic excellence, her commitment to interdisciplinary learning, and her proven leadership skills make her the ideal candidate to guide the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences in its formative stages,” Kelly said. “We are confident that under her leadership, the school will thrive as a vibrant hub for intellectual exploration and student success.”
Chalk mentioned her interest in making the most out of this opportunity and developing new possibilities for students.
“I think we’re very lucky to have the Kakos family as they are the major donors behind the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences,” Chalk said. “I’m really hoping that we can just launch new possibilities for our students through this merger through centralizing a lot of processes and removing some of the problems that came out of the siloing of different schools. We can get through this time of transition and make this home for a lot of exciting, creative new directions for our students.”
Siena DeMarco, a junior English major, weighed in with positive hopes for the newly appointed associate dean. “I am extremely excited to welcome Dr Chalk as the associate dean of the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences,” DeMarco said. “As a female English major, I think it’s extremely important to have people in positions of power who understand this perspective.”