NVC hosts reception for new associate deans of the Graduate School

Faculty, staff, and students were invited to a recent reception at the Northern Virginia Center (NVC) to welcome the newly appointed associate deans of the Graduate School, Rosemary Blieszner and Janet Rankin. They were introduced by Karen DePauw, dean of the Graduate School, who explained that the associate deans' positions are 50 percent half-time calendar year appointments to allow Blieszner and Rankin to continue teaching and research in their respective academic departments.

Blieszner is Alumni Distinguished Professor of Human Development in the Department of Human Development. She is also the associate director for the Virginia Tech Center for Gerontology. Her research areas within gerontology are friendship, caregiver issues, and family relationships.

Rankin is a professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise. She teaches courses in exercise and health, sports nutrition, and does research related to the effects of nutrition on inflammation and oxidative stress.

In speaking to the group gathered at the NVC, both Blieszner and Rankin said they looked forward to working with faculty, staff, and students in the National Capital Region and stressed the need for ongoing two way communication between Blacksburg and the NCR. This means communicating not only problems, but pertinent program information that will help them provide better service in the region, they said.

Posted September 24, 2009