Macalester names Dean of the Institute for Global Citizenship

St. Paul, Minn. – Donna K. Maeda, professor in the Critical Theory & Social Justice Department at Occidental College, in Los Angeles, Calif., has been named Dean of the Institute for Global Citizenship (IGC) at Macalester College.  She will begin her new position on July 15, 2017.

As recent chair of the Critical Theory & Social Justice Department, a department she and her faculty colleagues created, Maeda led departmental planning for re-organization of the major curriculum and other curricular development initiatives, focusing on students’ ability to progress successfully through the major and areas of new departmental faculty members’ expertise. Her administrative work at Occidental also includes co-chairing the Community Engagement Working Group, administering the Consortium for a Strong Minority Presence in the Liberal Arts Fellowship Program, directing the Center for Community-Based Learning on an interim basis, and co-chairing the President’s Task Force on Diversity.

“Dr. Maeda brings passion and commitment to furthering the ideal of global citizenship through efforts aimed at diversity and social justice,” said Provost Karine Moe. “She has a breadth of administrative experience, including deep engagement with the experiential learning. We are fortunate to have her join Macalester, and I look forward to working with her as she leads the IGC into the next decade.

Maeda has been at Occidental since 1993 and, prior to founding the Department of Critical Theory and Social Justice, spent 13 years teaching in the Religious Studies Department. Other positions she’s held at the college include serving on the Faculty Council and the Sexual Misconduct Advisory board and acting as special assistant to the President for Mission Initiatives.

She received her JD from the University of California, Berkeley, her PhD from the University of Southern California, and her BA from St. Olaf College.

“I am excited by the opportunity to contribute to Macalester’s mission that brings together internationalism, multiculturalism, and community engagement,” said Maeda. “Current events show the need for continually deepening both intellectual and practical work across these areas in order to address dynamics of power that shape lives. The Institute for Global Citizenship is an important space for these efforts.”

As Dean of the Institute for Global Citizenship, Maeda will lead the staff and faculty in the Civic Engagement Center, the Internship Program, and the Center for Study Away. She will also direct Macalester’s affirmative action efforts, as well as curricular innovation and faculty development initiatives in matters of diversity, multiculturalism, civic engagement, and internationalism. Moving into the next decade, she will guide collaborative and strategic planning that enables the IGC to achieve its mission to “foster global citizenship by advancing scholarship, reflection, and ethical action in our local, national, and international communities.”

Macalester’s Institute of Global Citizenship (IGC) reflects the mission-driven ideals of academic excellence, internationalism, multiculturalism, and service to society. Founded in 2005, the IGC connects student learning with experiential and civic engagement opportunities while promoting inclusive perspectives and practices across the curriculum and supporting initiatives that diversify the faculty.