Contact: James Carskadon

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State University is beginning the search process to fill two open dean positions.

A search is underway to find a new dean for the College of Education following Richard Blackbourn’s announcement this summer that he would be stepping down as the college’s dean effective Jan. 1, 2021. A search committee for the new dean is in place and led by Angi Bourgeois, dean of MSU’s College of Architecture, Art and Design.

The university is also beginning a national search for a new Dean of Libraries following the retirement this summer of longtime dean Frances Coleman. MSU is in the process of finalizing a search committee for the position, which will be led by Executive Vice Provost Peter Ryan.

Tommy Anderson, associate dean in MSU’s College of Arts & Sciences, is serving as interim Dean of Libraries.

“These two leadership positions play vital roles in our university,” said MSU Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw. “I want to thank Dr. Bourgeois and Dr. Ryan for chairing these search committees as we begin a broad search for both positions. I am confident that the openings will attract a strong pool of candidates, and I look forward to meeting them.”

The College of Education prepares highly qualified professionals to serve as teachers, administrators, supervisors, counselors, and other professionals in educational settings, industry and human service agencies. For more, visit www.educ.msstate.edu.

MSU Libraries has an innovation-driven presence as part of the state’s leading research institution. The libraries receive 800,000 visitors annually, host more than 100 free workshops every semester, provides access to 2.6 million books, 280,000 electronic journals, as well as public access to 150 computers. Home to the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, MSU is one of only 6 universities to house a presidential library. For more, visit www.lib.msstate.edu.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.