Theodore Rippey named new dean of UM-Flint's College of Arts, Sciences & Education

The University of Michigan-Flint announced earlier this month that Theodore Rippey has been appointed dean of the College of Arts, Sciences & Education.

Rippey joins UM-Flint after serving for several years as the associate dean for faculty development in the College of Arts and Sciences at Bowling Green State University. Hailing from Kansas City, he was initially inspired to pursue a career in German studies by major global events that occurred during his early college years.

"From the spring of my freshman year into the fall of my sophomore year, major things started happening in the world — protests in Tiananmen Square, apartheid in South Africa starting to crack, then the Berlin Wall came down — these were monumental shifts that, to me as a Cold War kid, weren't ever supposed to happen," said Rippey. "I had taken some German classes at that point, but hadn't taken them very seriously because I was still exploring a bit. Watching the events in Europe inspired me; I wanted to go there and see what was happening for myself. That summer, I went on a study abroad program to Germany, and it was a transformative experience. Talking with people about what was happening, when none of us knew at the time what it meant for Germany or the world, I learned a valuable lesson about communicating with people, making an effort to speak to them in their language and see things from their perspective, and how it can open doors and offer opportunities you may not otherwise have."

One of Rippey's instructors during his first year at college was an English professor who impressed him. "He was kind of an eccentric genius professor, you know, with an always brilliant yet accessible way of looking at texts, just a fantastic teacher. He made me think, 'Hey, I think I might want to do this kind of work.' So, that inspired me to become a professor and, ultimately, set me on the path that I'm on today."

After teaching courses in German language and cultural history for more than a decade, including serving twice as the director of BGSU's year abroad program in Austria, Rippey began working in academic administration in 2013. 

"Working in administration came to me by surprise," said Rippey. "I hadn't thought about leaving the faculty; I loved my job, but I was very committed to participating in governance as a faculty member. In 2011, I was elected to the reappointment, promotion and tenure committee, and it was eye-opening. The richness and range of work that my fellow faculty members were doing across the college was a fascinating experience, and I loved learning about all of their work. Near the end of my term on the committee, an associate dean position opened up. I applied for it because I wanted to try something new and stay more broadly connected to what was happening across the university. As a professor, you can be somewhat solitary, but in administration, you're coming in to work with a team of great people in an office every day, so the dynamic is quite different, and I found that I thrived in it."

After a dozen years as an associate dean, including stints as interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and interim vice provost for academic affairs at BGSU, Rippey wanted to take the next step in his career, and that led him to UM-Flint.

"What I find most exciting about UM-Flint, and CASE in particular, is the openness, ideas, and energy already here," he said. "There is a movement toward innovation and progress across the campus and in this college. Even as a candidate, I felt that there was a sense of purpose in the DNA of the university, and that creates coherence in a way that not a lot of institutions have. We're built to serve the city and the community; that kind of identity is exciting — it brings us together in a shared purpose. Flint's revitalization presents an opportunity for us to be a powerful partner with the city and the region, developing sustainable career paths that involve applied experiences, such as internships and fieldwork, and fostering deeper connections across our academic fields."

UM-Flint's Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Abby Parrill-Baker, is equally enthusiastic about Rippey joining the university.

"I look forward to working with Dean Rippey as we both continue to discover the many great things about UM-Flint and CASE," she said. "We have a unique opportunity to collaboratively guide CASE in implementing long-term strategies to grow its academic programs and ensure they attract both first-time and transfer students, as well as to support impactful research and creative activity by CASE faculty and students."

"These first few weeks I have been here, it's been wonderful — everyone has been so welcoming," Rippey said. "When I was considering different roles, it was important to me to move to an institution that was large enough to do diverse and creative things in terms of its academic mission, but still small enough that I would have the opportunity to help facilitate collective progress. I've found that at UM-Flint, and I feel like I can really make a difference here."