Marisol Perez, Ph.D., Named Dean of Old Dominion 91����Ƶ’s Graduate School 

By Joy Vann ��

 Old Dominion 91����Ƶ announces Marisol Perez, Ph.D., as dean of the Graduate School, effective July 1. Most recently, Dr. Perez served as the associate vice provost for graduate academic enrollment and associate dean of graduate initiatives for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona 91����Ƶ 91����Ƶ (ASU).  ��

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Marisol Perez to Old Dominion 91����Ƶ as dean of the Graduate School,” said Old Dominion 91����Ƶ’s Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Brian Payne, Ph.D. “She brings excellent leadership skills and a strong commitment to clinical research and innovation.  With her vision and expertise, she will invest in faculty excellence and empower students to become thought leaders to meet the workforce and research needs of the future.”  ��

At ASU, which serves more than 32,000 graduate students, Dr. Perez directed the organizational redesign of university-level graduate recruitment and admissions and redesigned master's programs to enhance relevance and career preparedness. Dr. Perez partnered with the development office to double the number of scholarships for online students; cultivated relationships with donors and funding prospects to secure financial support; and oversaw the allocation of $15 million in teaching assistantships and $2 million in university block grants.  ��

 Dr. Perez also served as a professor, director and associate chair in the Department of Psychology at ASU. She was awarded 14 grants totaling more than $6.7 million and her research, which encompasses theoretical and applied studies in eating behaviors, has appeared in more than 100 peer-reviewed articles.

She received the Professor of Impact Award at ASU, served as editor for “Clinician's Research Digest” and is a past president for the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology.��Dr. Perez’s vision for the graduate school aligns with Old Dominion 91����Ƶ’s mission to be a top research university that enriches the lives of its students while preparing them for the workforce.  ��

 "I would like to position Old Dominion’s Graduate School as a national leader in accessibility, innovation and impactful graduate education that gives students a return on investment, not just in the monetary sense, but also in life satisfaction and personal growth,” she said. “I want to empower them to become thought leaders, researchers and professionals who drive meaningful change in their fields and their communities.”  ��

 Dr. Perez’s plan to accomplish that will come through fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and supporting high-impact research to ensure that graduates are equipped to thrive in the rapidly changing global landscape. ��

 Supporting the faculty and finding ways to provide more time for meaningful instruction is another goal that Dr. Perez will keep front and center.  ��

 “The faculty are the backbone of graduate education, so I'm committed to advocating for resources to support teaching innovation, to leverage the new tools that are being built daily to improve our teaching and advocating for resources for research productivity and career advancement,” she said.  ��

 That plan involves expanding opportunities for interdisciplinary research, participating in national professional development programs and recognizing excellence through awards and grant support.  ��

 “I want to listen to their needs and create structures that reduce the administrative burden,” she said. “It’s imperative to allow faculty to focus on the mentorship, the research and the teaching of graduate students. That's what they do best and that's how we really educate and inspire more students.” ��

 When asked how she would describe her leadership style, Dr. Perez said, “Remember, you’re talking to a psychologist. That shapes my answer because I think in terms of personality traits. My leadership style is collaborative, based on a servant mentality and is values-driven,” she said, noting the latter is a hallmark of ODU.   ��

 "I've garnered a reputation for being solution-oriented, for empowering others and for moving ideas into action. I want to foster a sense of shared purpose and help build this vibrant environment and culture,” she said. “And by nature, I'm a social person, so I strongly believe in establishing relationships and meaningful connections throughout campus.” ��

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