By Brecken Mumford | Contributor
Taylor University welcomes Rhoda Sommers as the new dean of the school of social sciences, business and education. She will assume the position on July 1, 2016.
Sommers currently serves as the dean of the school of education and human development at Malone University in northern Ohio. She is also a professor of education. When asked why she decided to accept this position at Taylor, Sommers shared her thought process.
"It's not unusual for a dean to want to be a provost or vice president for academic affairs, but I just did not have a strong sense that God was calling me to that type of position. I really wanted to continue serving in Christian higher education," Sommers said. "And I was very excited when I first saw that Taylor was looking for a dean of the school of social sciences, education and business,"she said.
Taylor administration interviewed Sommers in the fall of 2015 and observed her strengths in the integration of faith and learning, interpersonal skills, commitment to her faith, leadership skills and dedication to advancing faculty development.
Sommers earned a B.A. in education at Cedarville University (1984), an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from Grace Theological Seminary (1993) and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Andrews University (1999). She has also had several years of professional experience teaching both domestically and abroad.
In addition to her faculty position at Malone University, Sommers has previously served on faculty at Mount Vernon Nazarene University and a number of P-12 schools. Some of her teaching positions have taken her to Beijing, Kiev and Hong Kong.
"My international experiences have helped broaden my perspective and understanding of people as individuals and communities," Sommers said. "I'm very excited to be part of an institution which places a high priority on students being immersed in different cultures."
As well as experiencing life abroad, Sommers is a passionate advocate for enhancing faculty diversity. She has accomplished this at both higher education institutions where she has worked. Sommers believes it is important for the entire campus community because of the benefits of working with and learning from individuals whose backgrounds and perspectives are different than our own.
"I've found that it's often easier to hire diverse faculty than it is to retain them once they come," Sommers said. "Dr. Moses Rumano, one of my dear friends and colleagues, and I recently published a book chapter about this struggle."
During their research for the book, Sommers and Rumano interviewed a number of faculty from diverse backgrounds and multiple institutions similar to Taylor. The goal was to see what they can do to both recruit and retain a more diverse faculty.
"It helped me recognize that enhancing faculty diversity is relational work and requires deep institutional commitment," Sommers said.
While Sommers is passionate about this cause, she has no immediate changes planned for when she joins Taylor.
Sommers visited campus on March 8 to become better acquainted with Taylor and the surrounding community. She said she is excited to learn more about the people and departments she will be joining this summer, but is also sad to leave Malone.
"While I am excited about this opportunity, it is also very stressful. It's important to me that I finish well at Malone because I care deeply about the people here, and I want them to continue flourishing after I leave," Sommers said. "I also want to prepare well for the work at Taylor."
Sommers has yet to find a place to live with Jake, her pet cat, once they make the transition. She spent her last visit exploring and learning about the area.
When asked what her greatest hope was for Taylor University staff, faculty and students, Sommers said, "Taylor is an amazing institution with an incredible history of graduating students who have impacted the world. My greatest hope is that I will be a small piece of continuing this mission."
