The College of Business conducted a search throughout January and February to fill two associate deans positions. A number of faculty expressed their willingness to further serve the college and its growing student body through these roles. As a result of this search, The College of Business in proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Ivey MacKenzie as Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Sponsored Projects and Dr. Wafa Orman as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs.
Dr. MacKenzie completed his Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior & Human Resource Management at the University of South Carolina in 2010. Prior to his academic career, Dr. Mackenzie owned his own business for seven years. At UAH, his research focuses on strategic human resources. Dr. MacKenzie spent the last year as the Interim Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs in the college and is making the transition to focus on graduate programs. As Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Sponsored Projects, Dr. MacKenzie’s responsibilities will center on positioning and continuing to improve the graduate program, increasing graduate enrollment, and furthering the program’s national reputation. To facilitate this, Dr. MacKenzie’s priorities will include improving the College of Business messaging for graduate recruitment, assuring that the modes of course delivery meet the needs of students, and working with the faculty to further sharpen the focus of the college’s six specialized masters programs and its MBA program. While discussing his new appointment, Dr. MacKenzie stated, “I love working with graduate students, and I am very lucky to be working with such a diverse, talented student body.”
Dr. Orman earned her Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Arizona in 2007. After completing a year of postdoctoral work at Baylor University, Dr. Orman joined the UAH faculty in the fall of 2008. As Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs, her responsibilities include undergraduate curriculum, recruitment, and student success. Dr. Orman’s priorities will include working with advisors, faculty, and staff to support student academic success, retention, and graduation rates; expanding student engagement opportunities through student club activities; and fostering career preparedness through engagement in curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities, including internships, externships, service learning, and mentoring activities. In addressing these aspects of her new role, Dr. Orman stated, “I’m excited to have this opportunity to help the students realize their potential in programs that meet the needs of the business community and the nation. I also look forward to working closely with businesses to help develop programs that produce lifelong learners who have the skills and flexibility needed to thrive in a constantly evolving economy.”
