Announcing new dean of the Williams School of Graduate Studies - Dr. Ashley Walker Colquitt
Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,
I am pleased to announce that, after a national search, Dr. Ashley Walker Colquitt has been named associate vice provost and dean of Appalachian State University’s Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies, effective July 1, 2023.
Since 2017, Ashley has led the Jack N. Averitt College of Graduate Studies — serving as director and then dean of the college — and she is on faculty in the Department of Health Policy and Community Health at Georgia Southern University.
Ashley has a strong background in management, teaching, mentorship and service. As a first generation college graduate with a collaborative approach to implementing successful recruitment and retention strategies, she also has a strong appreciation for App State’s founding mission of increasing access to higher education to the people of North Carolina.
She has shared with me that she believes in providing accessible and affordable graduate education, while prioritizing the preparation of graduate students for the workforce. I look forward to her becoming a member of my academic leadership team.
Ashley’s 18 years of experience at various public institutions includes faculty positions at University of Northern Colorado Greeley and University of North Texas Denton. She was also a Health Educator at Texas A&M University.
She has served as PI and co-investigator on numerous grants and contracts for her prior institutions, has been published regularly since 2010, primarily in her research areas of Health Disparities, Social Determinants of Health, Disability Health and Academic Assessment and Program Improvement, and has received several awards for her teaching and service.
As a faculty mentor, she has supported numerous doctoral students, while remaining actively engaged in scholarship and service activities. While at Georgia Southern, she also served as assistant director of the institution’s Quality Enhancement Plan.
Ashley holds a Ph.D. in Health Studies from Texas Woman’s University, as well as bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwestern State University. She is a certified health education specialist and the proud recipient of the 2017 Judith R. Miller Award for the Public Health Education and Health Promotion Section of the American Public Health Association.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to the search committee, chaired by Dr. Neva Specht, Senior Vice Provost of Academic Affairs, and Dr. Shannon Campbell, Dean of the College of Fine & Applied Arts: Anna Basnight, Dr. Kelly Cole, Dr. Allison Fredette, Dr. Stacey Garrett, Kim Holley, Dr. Melody Schwantes (Reid), Dr. Andrew Windham and Dr. Jason Xiong.
I look forward to Ashley joining the Academic Affairs team in July. Please join me in welcoming her to App State.
A news release will be issued in the coming days.
Best wishes,
Heather Hulburt Norris
Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor