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800.257.7751
TTY:
802.258.3388
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Mailing Address:
PO Box 676, 1 Kipling Road
Brattleboro, VT 05302 USA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Laura Ingalls (laura.ingalls@worldlearning.org) in Washington, 1.202.464.6973
SIT Study Abroad Appoints Dean of Student Affairs
New position focuses on student life, health, safety and security.
BRATTLEBORO, VT (September 20, 2008) -- SIT Study Abroad, a program of World Learning, is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Smallis as the program's new Dean of Student Affairs. As the first to hold this newly created position, Mr. Smallis will be responsible for student life, health, safety, and security issues for the approximately 2,000 students each year who participate in SIT Study Abroad's programs in 50 countries.
"We are delighted to have someone of Michael's caliber and experience in this important position," said Adam Weinberg, Provost of SIT. "Student well-being, safety and security are our highest priorities and this position allows us to address them with the necessary combination of planning, foresight, and vision."
Smallis brings to SIT Study Abroad over twenty years of experience in higher education with private colleges and universities. Most recently he served as the Deputy to the Vice President for Student Affairs at the City College of New York. At City College, Smallis oversaw and supervised unit directors who had graduate and undergraduate students in the Health and Counseling Centers, the Career Center, the Office of Student Life and Leadership Development, and the Office of International Students and Scholar Services. He supervised all student conduct and judicial issues and coordinated the development and dissemination of college alcohol and drug policy information. He also worked in collaboration with academic departments and service departments throughout the college by supervising and coordinating all orientation programs for new first year, transfer, and graduate students and parents.
From 1988 through 2006, Smallis was on the staff at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ. He began his student affairs career at Fairleigh Dickinson as the Director of Student Activities and Operations and held various roles in residence life and judicial affairs until accepting the Associate Dean of Students position in 1994. During his tenure there, Michael was responsible for responding to various student issues and crises for their study abroad program in Europe, as well as supervising their summer program overseas.
Smallis earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and a Master of Science in Education from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA.
World Learning works globally to enhance the capacity and commitment of individuals, institutions, and communities to create a more peaceful and just world through education, training and exchange programs.
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