Education Professor, Administrator Elevated to Dean of College

The University of Maryland has named a College of Education professor, researcher and leader specializing in diversity, equity and mentoring as its next dean, effective July 1.

Kimberly Griffin, a faculty member in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education and associate dean of graduate studies and faculty affairs for the college, will in her new role develop a strategy to realize the next stage of the college’s development, highlighting its role as a major source of research and scholarship to guide policy and practice in a time of rapid change in education. She will enhance and cultivate impactful research activities across the college, advance academic excellence, and work with faculty, staff and students to shape the changing landscape of 21st century education in the classroom and beyond.

“I had the pleasure of working with Dr. Griffin during my tenure with the College of Education, and am confident that her expertise in the field of education, coupled with her commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education, will lead to tremendous success,” said Senior Vice President and Provost Jennifer King Rice. “I am thrilled to welcome her to this new, critically important leadership role.”

Griffin joined the university in 2012 as an associate professor and has since served as faculty director for the Leadership Studies Program, concentration director for the student affairs specialization, and associate dean for graduate studies and faculty affairs.

“I am inspired by the University of Maryland's clear commitments to research and innovation, impact, and equity,” she said. “My career has been guided by the same commitments, and they also are reflected in the work of the students, faculty and staff in the College of Education. I am honored and excited to serve as dean and lead the college during this time of growth and evolution.”

Prior to Maryland, she held positions at The Pennsylvania State University, Stanford University School of Medicine and Stanford University. In addition to her scholarly experience, Griffin has experience working in higher education administration, primarily focusing in the areas of diversity recruitment, admissions, and retention in undergraduate and graduate education.

Griffin's research interests are primarily focused on equity in graduate education and the professoriate; diversity within the Black higher education community; and mentoring and career development. These interests have led her to conduct work on a variety of topics, including mentoring and career development of Ph.D. completers in science, Black professors and their engagement in student interaction, the experiences of Black immigrant college students, diversity recruitment in graduate education, and campus racial climate.

Griffin is an active scholar and researcher who is engaged widely in efforts to promote diversity and equity in higher education. Her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and Burroughs Wellcome Fund. Griffin's work also contributes to national conversations on equity and inclusion, and she has collaborated and consulted with the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Association of American Universities, National Academies, American Council on Education and the Council of Graduate Schools to discuss extant research and new initiatives. She also serves as the editor of the Journal of Diversity in Higher Education.

She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in higher education and organizational change from the University of California, Los Angeles, an M.A. in education policy and leadership from the University of Maryland, and a B.A. in psychology from Stanford University.