Inaugural CAL Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies

The College of Arts and Letters (CAL) department has a new Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Professor Jennifer McBryan. Professor McBryan has a Ph.D. in comparative literature from Rutgers University set her up for an “interdisciplinary career path in the humanities.” In graduate school, she received extensive training in the art of teaching writing and specifically teaching the shift that first-year students experience when transitioning from high school to college. The focus in writing switches from receiving knowledge in high school to producing knowledge in college. McBryan believes that her generalist background has been integral in “showing students how to be interested in a wide range of things.”

Her career at Stevens began in the Writing and Communications Center, and she later served as the director of the CAL 103 and CAL 105 programs for nearly ten years. Directing this program is no easy task, as every first-year student takes part in the CAL 103/105 progression. McBryan facilitated staffing the program for over 1,000 students and consistently scrutinized the reading materials to ensure they are diverse and up-to-date. The CAL 103/105 progression helps bridge the gap between high school and college writing and teaches students the fundamentals of writing, communication, and inquiry. Her experience in this integral role taught her about the specific needs of Stevens students and how to address these needs throughout the program.

Professor McBryan’s main goal is to continue supporting the goals of Dean Kellan Thomas, the Dean of the College of Arts and Letters. She plans to continue supporting his vision for the development of the CAL department, and over time, develop her own sense of what she could innovate in the department. McBryan said “in the early phases I think it’s really important to listen and learn and to throw my energy into the current needs of the team.”
Overall, Professor McBryan feels very honored and humbled to be taking on this new role and to “play a new kind of part in helping CAL faculty and students succeed.” In her interview with Stevens, she stated, “The humanities, social sciences, and arts introduce a frame of mind in which students never look at the world and assume what it is. We’re changing the way students see the world.”