Kami Silk — a distinguished scholar whose communication research helps promote better health among vulnerable populations — has been named the next dean of the University of Delaware’s Graduate College, Interim Provost William Farquhar announced today. Her appointment will be effective May 1.

Silk, the Edward F. and Elizabeth Goodman Rosenberg Professor of Communication and chair of the UD Department of Communication, has previous leadership experience at Michigan State University.

“Dr. Silk is an outstanding health communicator, researcher and scholar whose work is important and impactful,” President Laura Carlson said. “Her demonstrated experience as a leader and her commitment to research make her an invaluable leader and advocate for advanced education and faculty and student success in our Graduate College.”

Reporting to Farquhar, Silk will be a part of the senior administrative team for the University, responsible for the leadership and advancement of the Graduate College, which offers 60 doctoral and 145 master’s degree programs to more than 4,300 students.

“Dr. Silk’s leadership and strategic planning experience, both as department chair at UD and in her role as senior associate dean of research at Michigan State, will be incredibly valuable in her ability to advance the Graduate College, lead its initiatives and further its global recognition and impact,” Farquhar said.

Farquhar thanked the members of the search advisory committee, chaired by Rena Hallam, interim dean of the College of Education and Human Development, as well as the members of the UD community who provided feedback on the candidates.

Silk said she is honored and excited to lead the Graduate College as its impact and stature continue to grow.

“Research and graduate education are instrumental to fulfilling UD’s mission to serve the needs of society, so the Graduate College is a critical component of our institutional success,” she said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to work with our outstanding faculty, staff, and students to advance graduate education at UD.”

Carlson and Farquhar noted their appreciation for Gary Henry, who has served as interim dean of the Graduate College. Henry, a professor in the School of Education and the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration, formerly served as dean of UD’s College of Education and Human Development.

About Kami Silk

Kami Silk joined UD in 2018 as chair of the Department of Communication. In this role, she expanded undergraduate enrollment for the department by more than 35%, developed new graduate programs and managed strategic planning for the department.

Prior to joining UD, Silk served as senior associate dean and associate dean of research for the College of Communication Arts and Sciences (CAS) for Michigan State University, where she helped implement strategy and budget, streamline grant processes, facilitate research initiatives, provide guidance for grant proposals and administer the grant portfolio of the college. Also at Michigan State, Silk served as associate dean of graduate programs for CAS, where she managed the graduate program budget, fellowship programs, and research training for compliance with federal funding. She also served as a professor for the Department of Communication and AgBioResearch at Michigan State.

Silk earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Bloomsburg University, and her doctoral degree from the University of Georgia.

Silk is a health communication scholar who investigates how to communicate effectively to promote positive health outcomes among the lay public. Her research has focused on breast cancer risk reduction, suicide prevention, social norms harm reduction campaigns and improving nutritional practices among adolescent mothers for infant obesity reduction. Her research has been published in the Journal of Health Communication, Health Communication, Social Science & Medicine, Journal of Nutrition Education & Behavior, and Health Promotion & Practice.

As a researcher with the NIEHS and NCI funded Breast Cancer and Environment Research Program (BCERP), Silk partnered with advocates to engage in translational science, communication research, outreach activities and interventions to educate girls, parents and pediatric healthcare providers about the links between the environment and breast cancer.

About the Graduate College

The Graduate College at the University of Delaware is nationally recognized for its exceptional educational experiences and research opportunities. UD’s graduate students make significant contributions to the University’s objectives of creating, synthesizing and disseminating knowledge, and engage with the critical issues of the day through discovery and experiential learning. There are currently more than 4,300 graduate students enrolled at UD, with an offering of more than 200 graduate and professional degree programs, many of which are ranked by the National Research Council at the top of their fields.

In the 2026 edition of Best Graduate Schools, U.S. News and World Report ranked 24 University of Delaware graduate programs among the best in the nation, with 13 programs ranked among the top 50. Two of UD’s programs remained in the elite top 10, and over half of the programs ranked this year are in the top 50. Physical Therapy achieved a #1 ranking, and chemical engineering is ranked #8.