Dr. Joseph Romero Selected as Next Dean of TAMUC College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts

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Following a national search, Dr. Joseph Romero has been chosen as the next dean of the College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts (CHSSA) at Texas A&M University-Commerce, effective June 1, 2024.

Romero joins the A&M-Commerce family after having served as a professor and chair of the Department of Classics, Philosophy, & Religion at the University of Mary Washington (UMW) in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

His career in higher education spans more than two decades and includes a year as an American Council on Education Fellow. Romero holds degrees from Mary Washington College and Duke University, and he completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Thesaurus Linguae Latinae housed in the Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften in Munich, Germany.

Among his accomplishments at UMW, Romero promoted an intentional alignment between curriculum in the humanities and practical applications, such as the development of an internship for undergraduates in the humanities to shadow executives in regional non-profits so they can put their work-ready skills to use in leadership roles.

Dr. Tammi Vacha-Haase, provost and vice president for academic affairs at A&M-Commerce, lauded Romero's experience and passion for higher education as traits that will allow him to succeed in his new role.

“Dr. Romero brings with him a wealth of experience and a passion for fostering academic excellence, student success and innovation,” Vacha-Haase said. “I am confident that under his leadership, CHSSA will continue to thrive, making significant contributions to our university and beyond.”

Romero expressed excitement and an eagerness to meet with CHSSA students, faculty and staff.

“I knew when I met the people who make up TAMUC that this was a fantastic opportunity at a great institution,” Romero said. “I look forward to working with the CHSSA community to build on our successes and chart a prosperous course for our future.”

The College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts at A&M-Commerce features more than 45 graduate and undergraduate programs in a variety of fields ranging from music, literature and languages, political science, paralegal studies and more. Learn about degree offerings in emerging areas of study at the college's webpage.