It gives me great pleasure to announce that Bridget Trogden will join American University as the next Dean of Undergraduate Education and Academic Student Services. A distinguished scholar, experienced administrator, and collaborative leader, Dr. Trogden comes to AU after having served as Associate Dean for Engagement and General Education in the Division of Undergraduate Studies and Professor in the Department of Engineering and Science Education at Clemson University. She will begin her new position on July 1, 2023 and will hold tenure in the School of Education at the rank of Professor.

A strong believer in the value of a holistic undergraduate experience, Dean Trogden has played a key role in leading curricular innovations in general education at Clemson. Since joining the university in 2017, she has overseen a multi-year, multi-college re-envisioning and strategic planning effort that resulted in the implementation of a new curriculum infused with interdisciplinary and engaged learning (Clemson Crossings, launched in fall 2022). Dean Trogden also guided the institutionalization and tracking of high-impact practices like service-learning, internships, undergraduate research, study abroad, and living-learning communities. Committed to inclusive excellence, she created university-wide intercultural and DEI student learning outcomes and developed a STEM Equity Academy at Clemson.

Dean Trogden is PI or co-PI on several grant-funded initiatives to improve undergraduate general and STEM education and is frequently invited to speak and consult on higher education and pedagogical design. Among other accolades, she received the 2021 Standout Faculty Award from the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge for her work in improving the faculty role in nonpartisan student voter engagement and was recently honored with the 2023 Order of the Tiger Award from Clemson’s Undergraduate Student Senate for her dedication to the institutional values of honesty, integrity, and respect.

Earlier in her career, Dean Trogden served as Director of Research that Reaches Out in the Office of the Provost at Mercer University, a role through which she enhanced student learning and retention through facilitating undergraduate research focused on local, national, or global issues. She was also a professor in the College of Liberal Arts, teaching courses throughout the chemistry curriculum, in freshman composition (via the integrative first-year seminar program for which she was the inaugural director), and in the Honors Program.

Dean Trogden received her PhD in chemistry from the University of Illinois, where her research focused on studying the estrogen receptor and its roles in breast cancer, hormone replacement therapy, and osteoporosis. She also earned a BA in chemistry with a minor in music performance from Transylvania University in Kentucky. 

I am deeply grateful to Jessica Waters for her extraordinary work as dean over the past seven years. Throughout her tenure, she has been an instrumental part of the university’s efforts to enhance the student experience. In collaboration with colleagues, she secured approval for and led the implementation of the AU Core curriculum, launched first year advising, and proposed numerous changes to academic regulations and policies to advance equity and student wellness, among many other accomplishments. 

Many thanks to the members of the search committee, expertly led by chair Jeehyun Davis, for their dedication and hard work. I have also appreciated the active engagement of faculty, staff, and students from across the university throughout the search process. 

Please join me in welcoming Bridget to American University!