Message from the Dean’s Office

By the time this magazine reaches alumni, parents, and friends of the Penn Arts & Sciences community, Steven Fluharty will be serving his last few weeks as Dean. Steve has led the School for nearly 12 years—longer than any dean in its history. You can read more about the School’s many accomplishments under his leadership in this issue (p. 16). In this brief message, we wanted to share a few thoughts on what it has meant to work closely with Steve, and to be a part of this remarkable period in the life of the School.

As the largest academic division at Penn, there are, not surprisingly, a number of associate and vice deans in this office: Ten of us work side by side, consulting daily with each other and the Dean on priorities, problems, and all aspects of the life of the School. Some of us have been a part of this team for just a few months, and some have been here for all of Steve’s tenure. As a group we have shared in and celebrated extraordinary successes and worked as close collaborators with Steve to navigate unanticipated challenges, from a pandemic with a lasting impact on what we do in our classrooms, to calls to reexamine the fundamental values and role of higher education in today’s society.

During this time we’ve seen up-close what Steve brings as a leader: his purposefulness and focus on results; his unwavering belief in the enduring value of a liberal arts education; his passionate dedication to advancing knowledge to make the world better. We have also had the opportunity to appreciate many aspects of who he is as a person: his loyalty and enthusiasm, his love of holidays and the shore, and the joy he takes in the people around him.

It has been a privilege for all of us to know him and to work alongside him in the Office of the Dean. We are grateful for all that he has done for the School, and we are honored to continue all that he has put in motion over nearly 12 years. Thank you, Steve.

Brighid Dwyer, Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Ellen Furxhi, Vice Dean and Chief of Staff

Emily Hannum, Associate Dean for the Social Sciences and Stanley I. Sheerr Term Professor in the Social Sciences

Corinn Harrell, Vice Dean for Finance and Administration

Jeffrey Kallberg, Deputy Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences and William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Music

Nora E. Lewis, Vice Dean for Professional and Liberal Education

Deborah Rhebergen, Vice Dean for Advancement

Peter Struck, Stephen A. Levin Family Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences and Vartan Gregorian Professor of the Humanities

Mark Trodden, Associate Dean for the Natural Sciences and Fay R. and Eugene L. Langberg Professor of Physics

Beth S. Wenger, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Moritz and Josephine Berg Professor in the Department of History