Nancy Kingsbury, professor and former chair in the department of family and consumer sciences at Georgia Southern University, succeeds retiring dean Donald Smith effective July 1.

"I think that Dr. Kingsbury brings outstanding experience in all of the areas that are part of the college and, as a result, has great potential for success," Provost C. Warren Vander Hill said.

Kingsbury will lead a college that includes the departments of family and consumer sciences, industry and technology, military science, nursing, physical education and the Fisher Institute for Wellness and Gerontology.

The new dean believes that in an age of increased accountability, the applied research conducted by the college's units, including the internationally recognized Human Performance Laboratory, will be better appreciated.

"This is a great time for the applied type of college to come into its own," she said. "All the components are there to meet the needs of society and benefit the economy."

One of her first priorities will be developing a strategic plan for the college.

"The vision I have for the college is a representation of important elements that have been articulated in the university's strategic plan," she said.

Kingsbury has been at Georgia Southern since 1997. She was previously chair of the department of family sciences at Texas Woman's University and taught in the department of family studies at the University of Manitoba, Canada. She was also director of health programs and instructor of child development at Marshall University.

She earned bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and completed post-doctoral work in the Management Development Program at Harvard University. Her research has centered on work, gender issues and the family.

Ball State's position was particularly attractive to Kingsbury because of her prior experience as a consultant for a program review of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.

"It was an opportunity to meet many faculty members and students and experience a little bit of Muncie," she said. "I could see the quality of the programs and the strong support from higher administration."

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information about this story, contact Anthony Barker at (765) 285-5731 or tonybarker@bsu.edu.)