Colby-Sawyer College Names Alumna as Academic Vice President and Dean of Faculty

Associate Professor of Environmental Studies Laura A. Alexander '98 has been named the Academic Vice President and Dean of Faculty at Colby-Sawyer after serving in the role on an interim basis for the 2016-2017 academic year.     

Vice President Alexander was one of two finalists after an extensive search led by Neumann Executive Search Partners.

“Laura has provided excellent leadership in her interim role, and I am confident she will apply her many talents and lessons learned from this year to shaping our academic programs and enriching the academic life at Colby-Sawyer,” said President Susan D. Stuebner. “I would like to thank the members of the search committee who worked very hard throughout this process. We – the committee, the Board of Trustees and I – invested in this search to find the best candidate. Ultimately, Laura emerged as the individual who offers the combination of professional and leadership experiences that fit best with our current challenges and opportunities; who embraces and understands the landscape of a small, tuition-dependent college; and who is committed to being part of our community.”

Vice President Alexander came to Colby-Sawyer in 1993 and was director of the Hogan Sports Center until 2006. She joined the faculty in 2001 and transitioned to a full-time tenure-track role in Environmental Studies in 2004. Vice President Alexander’s research focuses on the flora of the region as well as the history and issues facing the White Mountains in New Hampshire.

An outstanding educator, she was the 2009 recipient of the Jack Jensen Award for Excellence in Teaching, Colby-Sawyer’s highest recognition for faculty. In 2015, she was named the New Hampshire Environmental Educator of the Year in the Higher Education/Non-formal category by New Hampshire Environmental Educators (NHEE). 

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve in this role,” said Vice President Alexander. “I look forward to continuing to work with faculty and academic area staff to align the academic area with our new strategic plan, and to work closely with student development staff to blend the academic and co-curricular student experience.”

Vice President Alexander has long been a leader on campus. In addition to chairing the Environmental Studies Department, she chaired the Faculty Personnel Committee and was a member of the Presidential Search Committee, Teaching Advisory Committee, Distance Advisory Committee, Executive Committee and Academic Council.

Vice President Alexander holds a B.S. from Colby-Sawyer College and an M.S. and Ph.D. in environmental studies from Antioch University New England.