Samuels Named TWU Provost

3/19/04

DENTON — Increasing research funding will be a priority for new Texas Woman’s University Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Cheryl Samuels. She will begin her duties at TWU on Aug. 2.

“Dr. Samuels genuinely wants to help propel Texas Woman’s University to the next level,” said TWU Chancellor Dr. Ann Stuart. “The search committee and I were impressed with her vision that includes both the liberal arts and health sciences and her ideas on building a research culture.”

Dr. Samuels comes to TWU from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., where she is dean of the College of Health Sciences and professor of community and environmental health. Previously, she served as dean of the College of Allied Health and Nursing at Minnesota State University and acting vice president for academic affairs and chair of the department of dental hygiene at the University of Maryland.

“TWU has excellent health related programs,” said Dr. Samuels. “One of the major areas where research funding is available is the National Institutes of Health, and the university should capitalize on that.

“Stipends for Ph.D. students also should be addressed as a research funding tool. Providing adequate stipends attracts graduate students to work with faculty on research, giving faculty time to pursue and acquire new research grants, which then attracts graduate students. TWU needs to be in that cycle.”

Dr. Samuels earned her doctorate in policy sciences from the University of Maryland, Baltimore; master of science in dental hygiene education from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and her bachelor of science in education and certificate of dental hygiene from Ohio State University.

“She impressed me as a decisive and candid person and she has a strong health sciences background. That’s important to TWU,” said Colleen Ferguson, president of the TWU Staff Council and a member of the provost search committee.

Dr. Rebecca Krepper, co-chair of the search committee and interim dean of the College of Nursing Houston Center, said she was impressed with Dr. Samuels’ assessment of the university’s strengths and weaknesses. “Dr. Samuels realizes we have to increase research funding and she has some ideas on how to make that happen,” she said. “With her background, she also understands the different needs of diverse programs, such as health sciences and liberal arts.”

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For Further Information Contact:

Roy Kron
Director of News and Information
Tel: (940) 898-3456
e-mail: rkron@twu.edu