New appointment
Nancy Brickhouse to become provost at Saint Louis University
2 p.m., March 19, 2015--After 27 years of dynamic service and leadership at the University of Delaware, Nancy Brickhouse, deputy provost for academic affairs, will become provost at Saint Louis University in Missouri. She will assume her post as SLU’s chief academic officer on July 1.
Throughout her tenure at Delaware, Brickhouse’s legacy of contributions is extensive. She has held several leadership roles, including interim provost, for which she received special recognition from the Board of Trustees for her exemplary service; deputy dean of the College of Education and Human Development; and director of the School of Education.
People Stories
'Resilience Engineering'
Reviresco June run
“UD has shaped my professional identity in very significant ways. I will miss my many friends and colleagues at UD, as well as the wonderful traditions we have developed here,” said Brickhouse.
“But I am excited by the opportunities at SLU. Situated in the cities of St. Louis and Madrid, students and faculty are engaged in challenging conversations and scholarly activity that are intentionally dedicated to promoting social justice.”
Most recently, Brickhouse charged a commission in August 2014 to devise a plan for coordinating and enhancing UD’s community engagement. That work resulted in the University of Delaware applying for and receiving a Carnegie Community Engagement classification in January.
She has also worked with a committee to revise the general education program, with the aim of making students’ educational journey more meaningful by creating greater trans-disciplinary approaches to learning. That includes fostering more creative thinking, expanding students’ cultural and global awareness, and increasing their cultural sensitivity.
Brickhouse worked with the Faculty Senate to create three different committees to work on various aspects of the development and vetting of new goals, which received unanimous Faculty Senate approval.
“We are grateful to Nancy’s years of influential contributions to this University,” said Provost Domenico Grasso. “From general education, to our recent Carnegie designation and our occupation of the ISE Lab, many projects important to our future as a visionary and consequential institution bear Nancy’s inscription.”
“Nancy Brickhouse is a talented, strategic and collaborative leader who has made the needs and interests of students paramount in everything that she has accomplished,” said SLU President Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D., in a statement.
“Throughout her impressive career, she has been a strong advocate for faculty development, and academic innovation and entrepreneurship. I am confident that Dr. Brickhouse will help further our rise as a premier international research university.”
Demonstrating a passion for diversity and inclusion, Brickhouse initiated the integration of the Office of International Students and Scholars into a larger global portfolio and completed a $1.3 million, six-month renovation of a historically significant building in the heart of campus to provide a highly visible, welcoming presence for international students and scholars. That work laid the foundation for UD being awarded the prestigious Senator Paul Simon Award for campus internationalization in February.
Brickhouse is known for her experience and research in science education and gender issues in science education. Before being appointed deputy provost, she served as interim dean of the College of Education and Human Development and as deputy dean of that college as it went through two reorganizations.
Under Brickhouse’s leadership in the College of Education and Human Development, graduate and professional programs increased substantially in size and stature. The doctoral program became more selective and federally sponsored research grants increased, leading to a 40-point rise in the school’s U.S. News and World Report ranking.
Her leadership in the state has included working with Gov. Jack Markell and educational leaders to pass Senate Bill 164 in support of earlier hiring of UD graduates as teachers.
She joined the Delaware faculty in 1988 as an assistant professor of science education and was named an associate professor in 1994 and full professor in 2002.
Brickhouse is the author or co-author of more than 40 publications in professional journals and has presented numerous invited addresses throughout the United States and abroad.
She received her bachelor's degree in chemistry magna cum laude from Baylor University and her master's degree in chemistry and her doctorate in science education from Purdue University.
Article by Jawanza Ali Keita
Photo by Evan Krape