Dr. Angela Boswell has been appointed dean of the Ellis College of Arts and Sciences at Henderson State University. Boswell, who had been serving as interim dean and previously served as associate dean, joined the Henderson faculty in 1996 as a professor of history.
“I am certain that Dr. Boswell will provide outstanding leadership to our College of Arts and Sciences and our university as a whole, consistent with her sterling record of service as a faculty member over the past 21 years,” said Dr. Steve Adkison, provost and vice president for academic affairs.
Boswell succeeds Dr. John Hardee who returned to Henderson’s faculty in June to resume his responsibilities as Distinguished Professor of Chemistry.
“I am honored to be selected to serve the outstanding faculty of Ellis College,” Boswell said. “I am excited about the opportunities to build upon the strengths of the college, to grow our programs, and to provide an excellent education to a new generation of Henderson students.”
“Dr. Boswell brings a wealth of experience to her new role in Ellis College,” said President Glen Jones. “She has served the university well in a number of roles over more than two decades and was instrumental in leading the university’s strategic planning process. I look forward to working with her to bring many successes to both the college and the university.”
Boswell earned both her M.A. (1995) and Ph.D. (1998) in history from Rice University. She received her B.A. in history and English from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, in 1987.
In June, Boswell earned a certificate from the Management Development Program at Harvard Graduate School of Education.
During her tenure at Henderson, Boswell has earned several faculty excellence awards and has chaired and served on numerous committees.
She co-chaired the university’s Higher Learning Commission Re-Accreditation Committee from 2009-2012, and served as director of the Women’s and Gender Studies program from 2010-2016.
As an author, Boswell has twice received the Liz Carpenter Award for the Best Scholarly Book on the History of Women and Texas.
She has written and co-edited books about Southern women’s roles in history, has published numerous chapters, articles and book reviews, and has made many professional meeting presentations.
The Ellis College is the largest of five academic divisions at Henderson, including the School of Business, Teachers College, Honors College and Graduate School.
Ellis College offers a comprehensive core of liberal arts courses for all Henderson students who can aspire to a wide range of majors such as art, chemistry, math, music, English, nursing and many more. The faculty structures the courses so students become well-rounded learners, seekers and individuals.
New degree and certificate programs were recently introduced, including criminal justice and innovative media. A new wildlife track began this fall.