Washington University Forms Committee to Find Next Sam Fox Dean
Washington University in St. Louis has established a search committee to identify the next dean of the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts. This initiative comes as current dean Carmon Colangelo prepares to conclude his term on June 30, 2024.
Colangelo, who has served as the Ralph J. Nagel Dean, will transition to his role as the E. Desmond Lee Professor for Collaboration in the Arts following a yearlong sabbatical, resuming teaching in fall 2027.
Search Committee Leadership and Goals
The committee, comprising 15 members, will be led by Cheryl Wassenaar, an associate professor of art. Mark D. West, the university’s provost, emphasized the importance of this role in guiding the school through a transformative period.
“The next dean will shepherd the Sam Fox School through a period of technological transformation while continuing to advocate for core values of creativity, critical thinking and iterative problem solving,” West stated.
West expressed gratitude to Professor Wassenaar and the team for their commitment to the search process. The committee includes a diverse range of faculty members and professionals, reflecting a broad spectrum of expertise within the fields of art, architecture, and design.
Committee Members and Their Roles
In addition to Wassenaar, the search committee features notable members such as:
- Tiffany Calvert, associate professor and chair of the master’s of fine arts in visual art
- Heather Corcoran, Halsey C. Ives Professor of Art
- Sabine Eckmann, William T. Kemper Director and chief curator of the Kemper Art Museum
- Joseph Fitzpatrick, associate dean of students
- Jonathan Hanahan, associate professor and chair of the master of design in human-computer interaction and emerging technology
- Amy Hauft, director of the College & Graduate School of Art
- Derek Hoeferlin, chair of landscape architecture and Raymond E. Maritz Professor of Architecture
- Aki Ishida, Sam and Marilyn Fox Director of the College of Architecture and Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design
- Daylin Kennedy, undergraduate architecture student and co-president of the National Organization of Minority Architects, WashU student chapter
- Bomin Kim, lecturer and alumnus
- Linda Samuels, professor and director of sustainable design and environmental justice
- Dorian Traube, Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School
- Constance Vale, associate professor and chair of undergraduate architecture
Additionally, Jennifer Gibbs and Lisa M. Siddens from the Office of the Provost will assist the committee. The well-known management consulting firm Korn Ferry will also support the search process.
The committee’s work is expected to be pivotal in shaping the future leadership of the Sam Fox School, an institution known for its rigorous, practice-based education and commitment to addressing societal challenges through art and design.
