University of Maryland Smith School of Business Names Joyce E. A. Russell Vice Dean, Victor Mullins Associate Dean

COLLEGE PARK, Md., July 6, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Joyce E. A. Russell was named Vice Dean for Programs at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, while Victor Mullins is the school's new Associate Dean of the Undergraduate Program.

With 20-plus years of experience in student and academic affairs, Mullins has arrived from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he was Associate Dean of Undergraduate Affairs since 2005 in the College of Business.

Russell is a Ralph J. Tyser Distinguished Teaching Fellow at the Smith School and has been a major force in shaping the student experience at all levels.

As vice dean, Russell's duties include oversight of the school's undergraduate, MBA, MS and executive programs, and the development of the school's global, university and corporate partnerships. She assumes the role in July and succeeds Hugh Courtney, who was named dean of Northeastern University College of Business Administration.

"As vice dean, Joyce will be instrumental in championing Smith School initiatives," said G. "Anand" Anandalingam, dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business. "This role is critical to the operations of the school. Her leadership development and executive coaching expertise will be invaluable when working with students, faculty and staff."

Russell teaches courses at all levels – undergraduate, full-time and part-time MBA, and executive MBA. Since joining the faculty in 1998, she has consistently been honored for being one of the school's outstanding teachers. She has also been selected three times for the Allen J. Krowe Award for Teaching Excellence given for outstanding teaching among tenured, tenure-track, and teaching professors.

Russell is the director of the Executive Coaching and Leadership Development Program for Smith's EMBA program in College Park and China, and has chaired the Executive Coaching Conference held at the Smith School and attended by coaches from across the United States.

She also has more than 25 years of experience consulting with both private and public sector organizations in the areas of leadership development, negotiation tactics, executive coaching, and career development. Some of her clients have included: Lockheed Martin, Marriott, Department of Defense, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, National Institute of Health, SAIC, Frito-Lay, Quaker Oats, M&M Mars, ALCOA, Entergy, Yodlee, Black & Decker, Boeing Corporation, Hughes Communications, McCormick, Sprint/Nextel, Tennessee Valley Authority, State of Tennessee, Bell-South, L.M. Berry & Company, and Bryce Corporation.

Russell writes a weekly "Career Coach" column and answers reader questions in a monthly online chat for The Washington Post's Capital Business newspaper.

Prior to joining the Smith School, Russell was a tenured full professor in the College of Business Administration at the University of Tennessee. She has published more than 50 articles, books, or book chapters and has presented her research at national and regional conferences. She served as the associate editor for the Journal of Vocational Behavior, and on the editorial boards of the Journal of Applied Psychology, Human Resource Management Review, and Performance Improvement Quarterly.

She received her Ph.D and M.A. degrees in industrial and organizational psychology from the University of Akron, Ohio.

Mullins holds master's and doctoral degrees in higher education administration from New York University. He completed his undergraduate studies in communications at George Mason University.

"Victor has been committed to the admission, retention, placement and graduation of students," said Anandalingam. "He is passionate about student development and is looking forward to working collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, alumni and corporate partners in building a strong student-centered community.

During an 11-year tenure at NYU's Leonard N. Stern School of Business, he served in several positions, including Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Affairs.

Mullins will guide Smith's Office of Undergraduate Studies in providing student academic services—registration, academic advising and scholarship administration, plus managing student life, co-curricular activities and the undergraduate community. He will oversee more than 2,900 undergraduates in academically rigorous management education programs, plus customizable learning opportunities through the Undergraduate Fellows Program, which bridges both academic and co-curricular activities.

Mullins succeeds Patricia Cleveland, who served in the role since 1998, and has joined Smith's Management and Organization Department as a lecturer. "Pat has been primarily responsible for putting the undergraduate program at the Smith School on the map and for stewarding the program into the ranks of the very best among U.S. undergraduate business programs," said Anandalingam.

About the Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and part-time MBA, executive MBA, M.S. in business, Ph.D. and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.

Contact:
Greg Muraski
1-301-405-5283
[email protected]

SOURCE Robert H. Smith School of Business