Barbara Schirmer, Distinguished Scholar,
Appointed Provost at Defiance College

DEFIANCE, Ohio –Defiance College president Mark C. Gordon has announced the appointment of Dr. Barbara R. Schirmer as provost/vice president for academic affairs and academic dean, effective July 1.

“Dr. Schirmer is a great match for Defiance College, and we are delighted to welcome her to our campus community,” said Gordon. “She is an accomplished scholar with significant higher education administrative experience, and she has a real commitment to service. I look forward to our work together.”

Schirmer comes to Defiance from the University of Detroit Mercy where she has served over the past seven years in the roles of professor, vice president for academic affairs, student affairs, and provost and special assistant to the president. At Defiance College, she will provide leadership and strategic direction for all academic programs. Schirmer will be responsible for the recruitment and appointment of faculty members; conducting annual reviews of faculty; and overseeing faculty development, among other duties.

“I am honored to be selected as the provost and vice president for academic affairs,” said Schirmer about her appointment. “I look forward to working with President Gordon and the faculty, students, staff, administrators, coaches, alumni, and Board of Trustees in achieving Defiance's goal to defy the ordinary.”

A national search was conducted by a search committee comprised of a cross-section of campus personnel. “We had a remarkable pool of talented candidates from across the nation. We were looking for someone who would embrace our culture of engagement and understand service learning,” said Dr. Sandra Golden, assistant professor of education and chairperson of the search committee. “We are pleased that Dr. Schirmer will be bringing her many talents and proven accomplishments to our campus community."

Schirmer earned her doctorate in education and bachelor of science in elementary education from the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, and a master of education from the University of Pittsburgh. She has expertise in the area of special education with extensive specialization in education for deaf and hard of hearing students. Her work in the community has involved serving as a curriculum consultant for the Michigan School for the Deaf, board member of the Urban League of Detroit and Southeast Michigan, and as a member of numerous editorial advisory boards.

She also held positions as professor and dean of the School of Education and Allied Professions at Miami University; professor, chair of educational foundations and special services at Kent State University; and associate professor, associate dean and registrar at Lewis and Clark College, Oregon. Internationally recognized for her research on the literacy development of deaf students, she is an accomplished scholar with numerous published articles, books, and book chapters.

Dr. Timothy Rickabaugh has held the position of interim vice president for academic affairs and academic dean while a search was conducted to replace Dr. Catharine O’Connell who accepted the position of vice president for academic affairs at Mary Baldwin College in Virginia.

Gordon said, “We thank Tim for his service, commitment and dedication as interim vice president for academic affairs. He has done an admirable job of serving in the position, and we welcome him back into the classroom as he returns to teaching in the fall semester.”

Defiance College, chartered in 1850, is an independent, liberal arts institution in Northwest Ohio offering more than 40 undergraduate programs of study as well as graduate programs in education and business. Defiance College has received national recognition for its educational experience of service and engagement. The college website is www.defiance.edu.

March 4, 2011