Paula McClain to Be the First African American Dean of a School at Duke University

Paula D. McClain was named dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education at Duke University. She is a professor of political science at Duke and is the former chair of the university’s Academic Council. She joined the Duke faculty in 2000. Previously, Professor McClain taught at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, Arizona State University, and the University of Virginia.

She will be the first African American to serve as a dean of one of Duke’s schools.

“Paula McClain is a distinguished scholar and outstanding university citizen whose work as a graduate mentor has been widely acclaimed,” said Duke President Richard H. Brodhead. “With her belief in the importance of graduate education and her concern for the well-being of individual students, she will make an exceptional dean.”

Professor McClain holds bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. degrees in political science, all from Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Related Articles

6 COMMENTS

  1. Dr. McClain’s success as the first African American dean at Duke is a great accomplishment for cultural advancement in higher education.

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

Higher Education Gifts or Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

New Online Library for the Study of Philanthropy and Black Churches

The new Philanthropy and the Black Church digital collection of the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving, an organization founded by the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, and the Center for the Church and the Black Experience at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, aims to provide resources for Black churches and other philanthropic institutions to partner together on strategic initiatives.

Online Articles That May Be of Interest to JBHE Readers

Each week, JBHE will provide links to online articles that may be of interest to our readers. Here are this week’s selections.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Establishes New Research Center to Address Segregation in Local Area

The new Center for Equity Practice and Planning Justice at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee aims to study the history of racial segregation in the local area and advance racially equitable practices in urban planning.

Featured Jobs