Diane Gayeski has been named dean of the Roy H. Park School of Communications, Ithaca College announced yesterday.
Gayeski, who served as interim dean of the school for the past academic year, will begin immediately implementing her vision for the school’s future.
“I’m very honored, and I feel quite overwhelmed by this,” she said. “It’s especially touching to be an alum and to be in this position because I so fondly remember my days as a student, and my goal is to make sure every student now and in the future has the same incredible experience.”
Gayeski, a 1974 graduate with a degree in television-radio, said she is up to the challenge of maintaining the Park School’s reputation. She said she is focused on supporting the faculty’s desire to move the curriculum forward and to encourage departmental collaboration as much as possible.
“My job is to remove the barriers so everybody can do their best job and use their best talents,” she said. “And I see the same thing for students — that I’m the problem-solver, the barrier-remover and your No. 1 advocate.”
Virginia Mansfield-Richardson, associate dean of the Park School, said she is excited to see Gayeski begin her work.
“For alumni, for our future and for our present, she is an excellent choice,” she said.
Kathleen Rountree, provost and vice president of academic affairs, said she believes Gayeski will be a strong leader for Park’s future.
“Her knowledge of the field is current and exciting,” she said. “Her commitment to Ithaca College is deep. Her creativity is noteworthy.”
Gayeski said one of her immediate goals is to continue pursuing funding for the Park School’s many endeavors.
“We can have all the great ideas in the world, but when we come down to it, it’s going to take money, so I’m immediately going to set my mind in doing that,” she said.
During her presentations given Feb. 25 as part of the selection process, Gayeski presented her vision for the Park School, which included staying ahead of the new trends in communication technology, the importance of alumni connections and interdepartmental dialogue.
Gayeski holds a Master of Arts in educational technology and a doctorate in educational administration, supervision and curriculum from the University of Maryland. She joined the college in 1979 and has served as a professor of strategic communication, associate dean of the Park School faculty and chair of the graduate program.
Her teaching and research expertise is in corporate communication, educational technology, new media and organizational performance. She has previously taught at the University of Maryland at College Park, Boise State University, and the Hanken School of Economics and Business Administration in Finland.
The Park School dean search began last year after former dean Dianne Lynch announced she was taking a job as president of Stephens College in Missouri.
