UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND APPOINTS ELLIE STURGIS DEAN OF WESTHAMPTON COLLEGE
May 16, 2001
Ellie Traynham Sturgis, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Virginia Tech, has been named dean of the University of Richmond's Westhampton College. In her new position, Sturgis will be responsible for overseeing all co-curricular programs for undergraduate women at the university.
Sturgis' appointment concludes a nationwide search for a new Westhampton College dean that began after Patricia C. Harwood announced last September that she was resigning for health reasons. The search attracted more than 100 candidates from around the country. Sturgis will assume her duties on July 1.
"Dr. Sturgis brings to Westhampton College an outstanding record of achievement that will enable her to lead efforts in women's education throughout the university and beyond," University President William E. Cooper said of her appointment.
"Ellie Sturgis rose to the top almost immediately," said Jennifer Nourse, associate professor of anthropology and chair of the search committee. "She has the breadth of experience, the enthusiasm and the interpersonal skills that we were looking for. She impresses people as warm, intellectual and visionary."
Nourse also pointed out her background in clinical psychology and "her many administrative skills" as strong plusses. As a graduate of Furman, Sturgis also "knows the small liberal arts campus environment," Nourse said.
Westhampton College is part of the university's coordinate system. Similar to its male counterpart, Richmond College, the college consists of a residence hall association, a student government, honor and judicial councils and student-faculty committees. Both women's and men's programs encourage participation in single-gender residential activities and organizations as opportunities for meaningful group interaction, identity formation and personal development.
Sturgis earned her bachelor's degree in psychology with cum laude honors from Furman University. She also holds a master's degree in general experimental psychology and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Georgia.
At Virginia Tech, Sturgis held additional appointments as associate professor of psychology and acting head of the communication studies department. She helped spearhead an early-intervention advising program for students at risk academically.
Sturgis, 48, will hold a clinical associate professorship appointment in the psychology department at Richmond. After her first year as dean, she plans to teach one or two courses a year.
Her research interests have included health-related issues such as chronic illness and substance abuse, and she is a licensed clinical psychologist.
Sturgis said she is excited by the "dynamic quality" of Richmond and its strong academic and residential programs. She also is impressed by Westhampton's WILL (Women Involved in Living and Learning) program, which "challenges women to develop their intellectual and leadership skills and to apply those skills in a real-world setting."
"WILL is a trend-setting program, with universities all over the country wanting to replicate it," she said.
In addition to Virginia Tech, Sturgis has taught at the Medical University of South Carolina, the University of Mississippi Medical Center and UNC-Chapel Hill.