Fager will be Maryville College’s next dean

May 9, 2008
Karen B. Eldridge, Director of News and Public Information
865.981.8207; karen.eldridge@maryvillecollege.edu

Dr. Jeffrey A. Fager, dean of arts and sciences and chief academic officer at Averett University in Danville, Va., has been selected as the next vice president and dean of Maryville College.

Maryville College President Dr. Gerald W. Gibson announced the news Thursday in a memorandum to faculty, staff, students and members of the College’s Board of Directors and National Advisory Council.

Pending formal approval by the Board, Fager will report for service on July 1. He will replace Dr. Robert Naylor, who last fall announced his retirement at the end of the 2007-2008 academic year.

“I am delighted that Jeff Fager will be joining the excellent faculty and staff that make this an exceptional college community,” Gibson said. “At Maryville, we place an extra measure of attention to institutional fit when considering new community members, and Dr. Fager is clearly resonant with the values and traditions of Maryville College.

“He wasn’t out looking for a new job, but was drawn to this specific academic leadership position at Maryville by recognition of those values and traditions, and by appreciation for the academic strength of the College,” the president continued. “In particular, he expresses high regard for the core curriculum here, and a high level of interest in working with the faculty to develop further programs to serve our students and bring further distinction to our College.”

A search committee, chaired by Dr. John Gallagher, associate professor of management, and composed of representatives from faculty, staff, student body, and the Board of Directors led the process.

Fager is a seasoned academic leader and administrator. Prior to his work at Averett, he served as assistant academic dean at Kentucky Wesleyan College, where he also served as chairperson for the department of religion and philosophy, and assistant professor, associate professor, and professor. He received the Presidential Award for Teaching at Kentucky Wesleyan College.  He was one of 12 chief academic officers to attend The Educational Leadership Program at Yale in 2004.

His educational endeavors include a bachelor’s degree (summa cum laude), with a double major in religion and psychology from the University of Evansville in 1975.  In 1979, he received his master’s of theology degree (magna cum laude), from Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology, focusing on the studies of biblical literature. He received his doctorate in religion from Vanderbilt University in 1987.

Fager’s areas of professional expertise and research interests include Hebrew Bible, the sociology of Ancient Israel and ethics. His work has been published in numerous publications, and he has authored a book, Land Tenure and the Biblical Jubilee: Discovering a Moral World View through the Sociology of Knowledge.  Fager is also involved in several professional and civic organizations.

Maryville College is ideally situated in Maryville, Tenn., between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Knoxville, the state‘s third largest city. Founded in 1819, it is the 12th oldest institution of higher learning in the South and maintains an affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Known for its academic rigor and its focus on the liberal arts, Maryville is where students come to stretch their minds, stretch themselves and learn how to make a difference in the world. Total enrollment for the fall 2011 semester was 1,078.