On Tuesday, the University of New Haven announced in a press release that Shaily Menon has been named the new dean of the university’s College of Arts and Sciences. According to the release, Menon comes to the university from her most recent position at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, where she served as the dean of the college of arts and sciences.

At Saint Joseph’s, Menon created a “mission statement, vision, and values” for the College of Arts and Sciences and reconstituted and re-energized the university’s advisory board in collaboration with key stakeholders, according to the press release. Menon was also responsible for helping develop programs in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, computational engineering, applied physics, art history, and graphic design.

According to the press release, prior to joining Saint Joseph’s, she operated as associate dean for research, facilities planning, and community engagement at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Grand Valley State University. In the Office of the Provost, she also held a special project assignment supervising group engagement and design thinking for social innovation.

Among her other accomplishments as dean, Menon initiated the opening of a new School of Health Studies and Education, chaired the hunt for a founding dean to lead the school, and introduced an ambitious transformation strategy for a year at Saint Joseph’s. She also recruited 14 tenure-track professors over her three years as dean to strengthen existing fields in the arts, humanities, social sciences and technology.

Interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the University of New Haven Mario T. Gaboury said in the release, “Dr. Menon brings significant experience in strategic academic planning and interdisciplinary program development to the University of New Haven. She has earned distinction for her academic work in biology, environmental ethics, zoology, and anthropology and is an excellent fit for the College.”

University President Steven H. Kaplan said, “Dr. Menon is a highly esteemed scholar and a visionary leader who has a distinguished track record of thinking strategically to develop innovative interdisciplinary programs, and I expect she will have a far-reaching impact on the university and our students’ futures. She will be an ideal leader as we reimagine the vision for the College of Arts and Sciences for the future.”

According to the release, Menon will begin her position at the university by July 1, 2021.