Dr. Steven Montreal Concordia University Wisconsin officials have announced Dr. Steven Montreal as the new University Dean for the School of Arts and Sciences.
Montreal, who will begin his new role Jan. 1, has been with the university for 19 years. He currently serves as registrar, a position he has held for the past nearly eight years. Prior to that, he served as Dean for the School of Adult Education.
He holds a PhD in political science, a degree he received from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. His Master’s degree, also in political science, was obtained through Mankato State in Minnesota.
Concordia’s School of Arts and Sciences has the largest faculty of the university’s six academic schools, with its 13 departments, 40 undergraduate degree programs and four graduate degree programs. It houses the liberal arts core, which is the foundation for all traditional undergraduate study.
“The liberal arts are, and always have been, integral to the Concordia experience,” said Rev. Dr. Patrick Ferry, President of Concordia. “Dr. Montreal has a profound sense of who we are, and where we are heading as an institution. Our new Dean is well-prepared to help Concordia students become educated persons who translate learning into engaged citizenship, meaningful work and fulfilling lives.”
A primary focus of Montreal’s work in his new role will be continued, deep collaboration with faculty to define Concordia’s distinctively Lutheran, Christian liberal arts approach.
Montreal believes a liberal arts education plays a vital role in helping the school meet its mission of preparing students in mind, body and spirit for lives of service and leadership in the Church and the world – namely by contributing to the development of critical and creative thinking, improved speaking and writing and strong analytical skills.
“Given the reality that today’s graduates will likely have multiple careers, the Arts and Sciences program helps ensure our students are well-equipped to thrive in a rapidly changing economy, while also contributing to the success of their communities,” Montreal said. “Graduates with liberal arts degrees are prepared to make significant contributions in all areas of their lives – communities, workplaces and churches – meeting the challenges and the promises of the 21st century.”
— This story is written by Kali Thiel, director of university communications for Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor. She may be reached at kali.thiel@cuw.edu or 262-243-2149.
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