Gator News

Fitzgerald selected as Dean of English & Humanities

By Philip Denman, May 30, 2018

Portrait of Jamie FitzgeraldJamie Fitzgerald, English division chair and director of the Writing Center, was recently selected to serve as Dean of English & Humanities. He will assume the duties August 6, 2018.

“I am so excited about the possibilities this opportunity brings! To work with such a talented group of faculty in these dynamic divisions is a privilege. I’m also eager to get to work with the other deans. I have much to learn from them, and I’m looking forward to many exciting future collaborations. Finally, President Johnson has been talking all year about continuing to develop the academic culture of the College, and I’m so grateful to be a part of that process in this new position. I think that we’ll be able to do some really incredible things for our students!”

Fitzgerald earned a Master of Arts degree in Rhetoric and Composition from the University of Oregon and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI. Jamie has earned tenure at Pierce College and Green River where he has taught a number of writing, literature, and humanities classes. At both institutions, he has served as the director of the Writing Center. Recently, Jamie worked with College Spark WA on a match grant to embed student writing consultants in transitional writing and reading classes.

At Green River, Fitzgerald has served as the English division chair for the last three years. He is an active member of the Community College Humanities Association and the Two-Year College English Association. His research interests focus on rhetoric, science-fiction literature, and writing center theory. He won Green River's Distinguished Faculty Award in 2017 and the Student Advocate of the Year award from Pierce College in 2010.


The hiring committee  consisted of:

  • Adam Beals, director, International Advising
  • Amada Schaefer, faculty, English
  • Carel Neffenger, faculty, Communications Studies
  • Cathy Wells, dean, Science and Math divisions
  • Christie Gilliland, Fine Arts and Social Science divisions
  • Jacob Frye, faculty, Reading
  • Janee Sommerfeld, director of budget, Budget Office
  • Jody Segal, faculty, Library
  • Liz McKinney, faculty, Humanities
  • Philip Denman, director of communications, College Relations
  • Vik Bahl, faculty, English

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