Dr. Janie Diels, interim provost of Alma College in Michigan, has been named the new vice president for academic affairs at University of the Ozarks, University officials announced today.
Diels has served as interim provost at Alma since 2022 and was associate provost at the college from 2019 to 2022. She is an associate professor of communication and new media studies at the private, Presbyterian-affiliated college.
Her first day in her new position at Ozarks will be June 20, 2023.
“I am thrilled to be joining the University of the Ozarks campus and I can’t wait to get started in my new role,” Diels said. “I was drawn to the campus because of the beautiful mission of the institution, and how clearly the University lives by its values. During my interview I felt the warmth of the community and the commitment of staff and faculty to their students. I look forward to joining such a committed group of professionals.”
University of the Ozarks President Richard Dunsworth said Ozarks received more than 40 applicants for the University’s top academic post.
“The University garnered an amazing pool of applicants for the VPAA with the search committee reviewing the highly-qualified candidates,” Dunsworth said. “Dr. Diels rose to the top of the pool quickly. Janie’s record demonstrates exemplary higher education experience at a sister Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities (APCU) institution. She demonstrated excellence as a scholar and administrative practitioner with a record of ever-increasing responsibility and accountability. She is committed to faith-based education and we are excited to welcome her and her family to Ozarks where she will play a vital role in the development and execution of our next strategic plan.”
Diels has taught at Alma since 2006, when she joined the college as a visiting professor of communication. A native of West Bend, Wisconsin, Diels received her undergraduate degree in psychology and communication from the University of Wisconsin-Madison before earning both her master’s degree and Ph.D. in communication from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.
Dody Pelts, vice president for student success at Ozarks, chaired the search committee for the VPAA. Pelts said the committee was impressed with Diels’ wide-ranging experience in areas such as strategic planning, retention and graduation of students, accreditation and assessment, faculty governance and recruiting and retaining faculty members.
“The search committee was also impressed with Dr. Diels’ ability to connect with faculty, staff, and students,” Pelts said. “Her depth of experience in leadership within a culture similar to Ozarks, strength as a communicator, and clear understanding of the opportunities within current the higher education landscape excited the campus community. We look forward to partnering with her to create opportunities to serve Ozarks’ students.”
Diels began her academic career as a research associate for the Public Health Resource Group in Portland, Maine, before becoming an instructor in the Department of Communication at Cornell.
She will be coming to Clarksville with her husband, Bill Gorton, and their children, Jake (12) and Martha (10). Their family also includes “two energetic dogs, four cats, two guinea pigs and two Halloween moon crabs.”
Outside of academia, Diels enjoys spending time with her family and being active in her community. Her hobbies include cooking and baking as well as hiking and biking.
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