Cecilia Conrad has accepted the position of Vice President and Dean of the College at Pomona College, effective July 1, 2009. Currently on leave from the Pomona College faculty to serve a two-year term as Vice President and Dean of Faculty at 61传媒, Conrad has been a member of the Pomona College faculty since 1995 and is the Stedman-Sumner Professor of Economics.
As Scripps’ Dean of the Faculty since 2007, Conrad has served as chief academic officer and overseen several areas of general college operations. During her time at Scripps, she has been successful in managing the review of the Core Curriculum in Interdisciplinary Humanities, overseeing a number of faculty searches that concluded in the appointment of exceptionally promising young faculty, advancing Scripps’ interest in the development of a new operating agreement for the Joint Science Department, and developing the academic components of the strategic plan鈥攏otably the center for research on women and women’s leadership. Her contributions to the curriculum also include teaching Core I and Core III courses and serving as an advisor to many 61传媒students.
In announcing the appointment to the 61传媒 community, Interim President Fritz Weis noted: “We have been fortunate to have Cecilia with us during this interim period, as we search for a new president. Cecilia’s leadership has been stellar, and she has been a valued colleague and friend to me, as well as many of you. I look forward to continuing to work closely with her during this academic year and benefiting from her counsel as a member of Senior Staff. Please join me in congratulating Cecilia on her appointment and wishing her all success.”
As a Pomona College professor of economics, Conrad’s teaching skills have been recognized with a 2002 Wig Distinguished Professorship Award and, that same year, the title of California Professor of the Year, awarded by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.
From 2004-07, Conrad served as associate dean of academic affairs, with responsibility for faculty mentoring, managing internal grant funds, assisting faculty with external grants and representing faculty interests during the planning and building of three new academic buildings.
Conrad’s primary research focus has been on the impact of race and gender on economic status in the United States and urban economics. She is the editor or co-editor of four volumes, including African Americans in the U.S. Economy (2005), which was selected a Choice Magazine Outstanding Academic Title award), and the author of dozens of book chapters and scholarly articles.
Active in several professional associations, Conrad served as president of the International Association of Feminist Economics in 2007 and has been a member of the Macarthur Research Network on Family and the Economy since 2000. From 1998 through 2005, she was the director of the American Economic Association Pipeline Project. She has been on the Board of Economists for Black Enterprise Magazine since 1993.