By Erica Noonan
noteworthy
Dr. Edie Sparks, an innovative leader with a passion for expanding access to education “could not be more aligned” with Suffolk’s mission, says University President Marisa Kelly.
Sparks—who will assume her post as the next dean of the College of Arts & Sciences on Aug. 1—makes the cross-country jump from the University of the Pacific, in Stockton, California. As vice provost and a history professor there, she championed the liberal arts—and the skills of engagement, problem solving, and citizenship that they promote—at a time when, she says, they are more crucial than ever.
“These things are key to how we prepare future citizens of the world to address 21st century problems,” says Sparks, a historian who earned her bachelor’s degree in English literature from the University of California, Berkeley, and graduate degrees in history from the University of California, Los Angeles.
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“The fire in my belly is expanding access to education. I know that a college education is one of the greatest democratizing forces in United States history. The transformational experience that Suffolk provides through its mission of access, its urban location, and its commitment to experiential and community-engaged learning is really exciting for me. It’s a really good match.”
– Dr. Edie Sparks
Photograph by Allyson Furlong
A scholar specializing in American women’s entrepreneurship and business history, Sparks has a longstanding interest in societal barriers to success. In 2017 she published Boss Lady, chronicling three pioneering women in the mid-20th century who became breakthrough entrepreneurs in male-dominated business environments.
Suffolk Provost Julie Sandell notes that Sparks has helped to develop and implement programs and curricular innovations to support first-year students and advance global learning, and prioritized work that supports diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in her personal and professional life. “She will be a terrific fit for Suffolk with these priorities,” Sandell says.
To learn more about Suffolk’s newest dean, see www.suffolk.edu/sparks
