Molly A. Schaller, Ph.D. Begins Term as School of Education Associate Dean

08/10/2020

Molly A. Schaller, Ph.D., has recently been appointed to the position of associate dean of the School of Education.

Having spent over 30 years in the field, Schaller brings an extensive background and expertise in Catholic higher education. Schaller is also the program director and associate professor of higher education in the School of Education. She previously served as SLU’s Faculty Fellow for Mission and Identity—a role that she was engaged in from 2018-2020. In addition, she served as interim dean of the School of Education from 2017-2018. Her areas of practice are in college student learning and development, leadership in higher education, student cultures and development, and intentional design in higher education.

She has conducted extensive research on students’ sophomore-year challenges and successes, and her other research interests include student affairs in Catholic higher education and the relationship between physical space and learning, engagement, and pedagogy. Before coming to SLU, Schaller was an associate professor in the Department of Counselor Education and Human Services at the University of Dayton, where she also served in numerous other faculty and administrative roles such as department chair and Fellow for Chair Development. She earned her master’s degree in College Student Personnel Services from Miami University, followed by her doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Ohio University.

I especially want the School of Education to play a key role in leading for racial and economic justice in our educational communities.”

Molly A. Schaller, Ph.D. 

Given her plentiful administrative experience in areas of both student and academic affairs, Schaller stated that she entered into this new role with her “eyes wide open.”

She explained, “I tend to know how organizations function and I set goals for my work that provide for implementing changes that will help us focus on our core goals of maximizing student learning to yield a more just and equitable educational process from birth through higher education. Faculty and staff contribute so much to our goals via teaching, research, and service, so my job is to find ways to support them in those endeavors.” She stated she will use the title “Associate Dean for Academic Affairs,” and that her focus will primarily be on supporting students, faculty, and staff to ensure a high-quality educational experience at SLU. Schaller added, “I'm really committed to thinking about the values of each person, their gifts, and addressing the challenges they may face in bringing those gifts to bear."

Schaller’s appointment as associate dean began on July 1.