Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Maria Laskaris ’84 will leave her post to take on the role of special assistant to the provost for arts and innovation, Provost Carolyn Dever announced today.
“I look forward to working with students and colleagues across the institution to help make the Arts and Innovation District an essential part of the Dartmouth experience,” says Maria Laskaris ’84. (Photo by Eli Burakian ’00)
Laskaris has served in a variety of roles in admissions since 1987, becoming dean in 2007. In her new position, she will contribute to the College’s continuing development of its Arts and Innovation District. She will begin the new job on Sept. 1.
“During Maria’s tenure as dean, Dartmouth has arguably attracted the most talented and diverse student body—geographically, ethnically, socioeconomically, intellectually—in its history,” says Dever. “I am delighted that Maria has agreed to bring her gift for building communities to the job of galvanizing the College’s arts and innovation initiatives.”
The Arts and Innovation District includes the Hopkins Center for the Arts, the Hood Museum of Art, and the DEN Innovation Center and New Venture Incubator.
Laskaris will help the College build on this foundation to realize the district’s potential as a vibrant social and academic community. The position will report to the provost. In this position, Laskaris will collaborate with the directors of the Hopkins Center, the Hood, the DEN Innovation Center, and other departments on strategic planning efforts and communications that highlight the College’s broad-based vision for arts and innovation.
“We want the district to be more than a geographic neighborhood. We want it to be a destination that draws people together in the spirit of invention, a place where students go, at all hours, to play with ideas and share in each other’s creative work,” says Dever.
“Maria’s entire career has been devoted to building communities that create synergies within and among each other,” Dever says. “I can’t think of a better person to take on this challenge.”
Laskaris says she is excited about the new role. “I look forward to working with students and colleagues across the institution to help make the Arts and Innovation District an essential part of the Dartmouth experience,” she says.
Of her time in admissions, she says, “I’m proud of what we accomplished. And with the creative energy that the Arts and Innovation District generates, I look forward to hearing more prospective students say, ‘I see myself at Dartmouth.’ ”
Director of Admissions Paul Sunde will serve as interim dean of admissions and financial aid. A search for the next leader of admissions and financial aid will soon begin, with the goal of having the position filled by July 1, 2016.
