GEM Alum, Dr. Lesia Crumpton-Young, appointed Texas A&M Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies

Dr. Lesia Crumpton-Young has accepted the position of associate provost for undergraduate studies at Texas A&M University effective August 29, 2011.  Dr. Young, a leader in the development of high-impact learning experiences within the undergraduate curricula, is the founding director of the Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence and a professor of industrial engineering at the University of Central Florida.  Her administrative experience and her scholarly expertise in human factors and systems provide a broad context for effective strategic leadership in undergraduate learning.
 
As associate provost for undergraduate studies, Dr. Crumpton-Young will provide leadership and supervision for the following:  Honors and Undergraduate Research, General Academics, the Student Learning Center, the University Writing Center, and Professional School Advising, as well as some leadership for academic concerns in athletics and the Corps of Cadets.  She will chair the Academic Operations Committee (AOC), which oversees policy regarding student academic affairs, and she will be responsible for providing leadership in the development of policies and procedures for undergraduate programs.
 
Dr. Young has served on the faculties of Mississippi State University and the University of Central Florida and has had two assignments with the National Science Foundation (NSF).   As a faculty administrator, she has served as associate dean for research and outreach in the College of Engineering at Mississippi State and as head of the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems at the University of Central Florida.  At Mississippi State, she also was the director of the Human Performance Research Laboratory, where she was responsible for developing and directing the research and education initiatives of the Ergonomics/Human Performance Research Center within the College of Engineering.  At the NSF, she founded the Center for Engineering Leadership and Learning and served as the program director of the Education and Human Resources Directorate in the Division of Undergraduate Education.
 
A native Texan and an Aggie, Dr. Young earned a B.S., an M.S. and a Ph. D. in industrial engineering from Texas A&M University.  Her research includes work in pedagogy and instructional strategies for teaching engineering leadership and the development of mentoring communities to enhance science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.  She is the recipient of the U.S. Presidential Award for Excellence in Mentoring, the Outstanding Women of Color in Science and Technology Award, and the U.S. Black Engineer of the Year Education Award, as well as numerous outstanding faculty awards.
 
We were privileged to have four outstanding candidates to consider for the position of associate provost for undergraduate studies.  I would like to thank the search committee, chaired by Dr. Karen Butler-Purry, the candidates, and everyone who participated in the search process.  
 
I have the utmost confidence in Dr. Crumpton-Young’s ability to provide the strategic leadership necessary to enhance undergraduate education at Texas A&M, and I look forward to working with her in the coming months.  Please join me in congratulating Dr. Crumpton-Young on her appointment.

Message is sent on behalf of Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Karan L. Watson.