(Charleston, IL) – Eastern Illinois University officials are announcing Dr. Angela Jacobs as the University’s next L.M. Hamand Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Sponsored Research. Jacobs was selected from a rich pool of national candidates and will assume the role July 1, 2025, following the retirement of current interim Graduate School Dean Dr. Robert Chesnut.
“I am deeply honored and excited to be selected as the next Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Sponsored Research,” Jacobs said. “I look forward to working with our talented community of students, faculty, and staff to continue advancing our graduate programs.”
Jacobs is an EIU alum with a rich organizational history demonstrating her commitments to student engagement, collaborative leadership, and institutional results. She currently serves as full professor and graduate coordinator for EIU’s School of Communication and Journalism (SCJ), with roots as a graduate faculty member beginning in 2008. Her work with a diverse range of students—including first-generation, international, and graduate students from a variety of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds—has driven her passion for advising and mentoring students in academia and research. For Jacobs, that translates to creating accessible pathways for graduate study. More specifically, her grasp of the graduate-level landscape led to the creation and implementation of a variety of innovative changes in the SCJ that resulted in more than doubling the program’s enrollment—results she hopes to replicate across the University through a unique marriage of ambitious programming and collaborative interdisciplinary relationships.
Jacobs has served as EIU’s SCJ Graduate Coordinator since 2016. Beyond her leadership in the SCJ, Jacobs has served as chair and vice chair of EIU’s Council on Graduate Studies (CGS) with a focus on shared governance. She earned a Ph.D. in Interpersonal and Family Communication from SIUC (2007) and holds both M.A. (1996) and B.A. (1993) degrees in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication from EIU. As an undergraduate, Jacobs minored in Military Science and was commissioned into the United States Army as a second lieutenant in 1993. She served more than 15 years in the U.S. Army Reserves and ended her tenure as Captain and Commanding Officer of the 378th Chemical Company out of Urbana, IL. Jacobs has published research across various communication areas, and has direct experience in creating and overseeing faculty-led study abroad programs.
EIU President Jay Gatrell is thrilled that Jacobs was selected as the University’s next L.M. Hamand Dean of the Graduate School. “Dr. Jacobs is an engaged faculty leader and EIU alum who is deeply committed to EIU’s mission, graduate education, scholarship, and internationalization. For these reasons, I look forward to her serving as Eastern’s next dean and vice provost.”
EIU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Ryan Hendrickson echoed President Gatrell’s sentiment. “Dr. Jacobs’ record and accomplishments in graduate education are already impressive and highly regarded across campus. She is going to be an outstanding dean.”
Both Gatrell and Hendrickson also offered their gratitude to the committee members tasked with leading the national search.
As she prepares to step into her new role next summer, Jacobs shared that she will foster a culture of innovation by enhancing and/or introducing new programs and research initiatives that will attract new students and prepare them to lead in a rapidly changing world. She’s equally committed to making graduate education more accessible for all student groups to enter and succeed in advanced study, and will prioritize support systems for graduate students to ensure they have the resources, mentorship, and opportunities they need to succeed academically and professionally.
“As the higher education landscape continues to shift, EIU students and families can know we are prepared to meet their rapidly evolving needs by preparing tomorrow’s leaders for meaningful careers in the regional and national workforce,” Jacobs added. “Every student has a unique voice and remarkable perspective that enhances their coursework and ultimately their communities. Our job is to enrich and empower them to share their skills and knowledge meaningfully with the world.”
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About EIU
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