By Patrick Fergus
@Fergus5Fergus
When Mary Ann Coughlin retired as Springfield College’s provost and vice president for academic affairs last year, she left a significant hole to fill. After a national search, , Dr. Lori Ciccomascolo was hired as her replacement in May.
Ciccomascolo began her career at the University of Rhode Island as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology, where she taught courses in Health, Physical Education, and Exercise Science and served as the Kinesiology graduate directores. In 2012, Ciccomascolo became URI’s Interim Dean for the College of Human Science and services. She then moved into a full-time dean job and in 2017 became the Associate Vice President for Student Success. She most recently served as the Associate Vice President of Student Success, where she worked alongside faculty and staff on student success initiatives between the Divisions of Academic and Student Affairs. The Student sat down with Ciccomascolo to discuss her new role and plans at Springfield.
The Student: What brought you to Springfield?
Ciccomascolo: The mission of humanics was a fit with my background. I think in health and education and how I think about leadership, it’s really important that wherever you want to lead and to serve that it’s a fit. I had known Springfield College to be this amazing place that had a solid academic reputation, great teaching and research. And that’s exactly what I found here. This academic staff and faculty are some of the best and the brightest. They care about their students very much, and I really respect the work that they do here. The students are fantastic. The students with whom I met are smart and empathic, and they really care about making a difference. I’ve been really connected with this college from the short time I’ve been here.
The Student: How is the semester going so far?
Ciccomascolo: It’s going well. I have held meetings with faculty and academic staff called “provost office hours.” I enjoy speaking and listening to professors before and after meetings. I’m really trying to get out into the community and learn what faculty and academic staff do, inside and outside of the classroom, and it’s been a real joy. I enjoy meeting the faculty and staff, and listening to how they think they contribute to the community, as well.
The Student: What does your position entail?
Ciccomascolo: I oversee the Division of Academic Affairs, and that is from academic planning and strategic initiatives. I manage faculty programs, everything from promotion and tenure to sabbaticals. Working with deans and the chairpersons is really important, because whatever academic vision I have, it’s not going to get done unless we all collaborate and engage. I know the academic staff that we have are interested in doing that.
The Student: What do you want to accomplish?
Ciccomascolo: There have been a few things that I have talked about in terms of my vision, and I’ll be sending that out more broadly, and having a meeting with the faculty to get their feedback. But for me, it’s really looking at learning, what programs we have and the great work that’s been done. So how do we preserve and enhance our academic portfolio? We have the best and the brightest, and we also want to diversify our faculty while keeping good retention as well.
The Student: Who do you want to be remembered as?
Ciccomascolo: A strategic leader who wants to and will collaborate with faculty and academic staff, while making difficult decisions using narrative and data, and someone who cares a lot about faculty and academic staff. I care as much about the academic vision as I care about them as people.
The Student: What’s something you like to do outside of work?
Ciccomascolo: Biking. I love to bike.There is such a different perspective when you’re on a bike versus in a car or walking. I just love to look around at my surroundings and I really enjoy biking.
Photo Courtesy of Springfield College