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Dean Ripich accepts Univ of New England presidency by Cindy Abole Public Relations Danielle Ripich, Ph.D., dean of the College of Health Professions (CHP), accepted the job of president at the University of New England (UNE) in Maine. Beginning June 1, she will replace UNE’s current president Sandra Featherman, Ph.D., to become the university’s fifth president.   In just seven years, Ripich led CHP’s family of 900-plus faculty, staff and students through an era that collectively built and strengthened its 11 allied health degree programs and emerged among the top ranked health services specialty programs while producing some of the country's best prepared health professionals.   Most importantly, she will be lauded for her dogged devotion, energetic leadership and savvy for reaching across campus and uniting people while bringing a college under one roof to create a dynamic, technology-based teaching and learning environment—a milestone for a college  poised at celebrating its 40-year-old history.   “This is a wonderful opportunity,” said Ripich, who came to MUSC in 1999 to assume CHP’s leadership. "Although I prepare to leave MUSC with mixed emotions, I feel good about leaving the college better prepared and able to go in whatever direction it chooses. I'm confident it will do well.”   “Dean Ripich has been a visionary leader of the College of Health Professions and MUSC,” said John Raymond, M.D., vice president of academic affairs and provost. “Her commitment to excellence, and her determination to bring to the College of Health Professions world-class facilities to match our terrific faculty and superb student body have benefitted all of us at MUSC.”   Since her arrival, Ripich has worked closely with the CHP's faculty, staff and students, operating in seven locations on-and-off campus, as they struggled to find their identity among MUSC’s six colleges.   “During that period of planning and self-renewal, we as a college realized that our students were at the core of everything and that renewed our purpose to learn to build everything around that,” Ripich said.   Her vision of building a college five years ago allowed her to establish sound business partnerships with public and private sources. She also led the college’s first-ever capital campaign to raise $5 million and college funding for more than $11 million to provide the financial mechanism and foundation to transform the 85-year-old historic High School of Charleston building into a $30 million state-of-the-art complex.   Prior to joining MUSC, Ripich served as chair of the Department of Communications Sciences and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. Internationally known for her child language research with an emphasis on the hearing impaired, Alzhheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, Ripich is also a professor in the Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine.      As she learns to embrace her transition from college dean to university president, she is keenly aware  she is stepping onto a larger stage and focused on learning the groundwork of managing a large institution, understanding the bureaucracy with external and private resources, working with a 50-member Board of Trustees, plus handling other issues.   Founded in 1831, UNE is an independent university with an enrollment of about 3,400 students  within two distinct campuses located on Maine’s southern coast. As home to the state’s only medical school, UNE offers more than 40 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the areas of health sciences, natural sciences, social sciences, osteopathic medicine, education, business administration and liberal arts.      “She is a true national leader and has been one of my own personal role models. She has truly left her mark on South Carolina, and we are all better for her efforts,” Raymond said. “She will undoubtedly be an outstanding university president.”   As of Feb. 1, interim dean Becki Trickey, Ph.D. was named as executive associate dean of the College of Health Professions This appointment, approved by MUSC’s Board of Trustees, was created to help the college’s transition of leadership until a national search committee can identify a permanent dean.     Friday, March 31, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island papers at 849-1778, ext. 201.