Shenandoah University will celebrate its 150th birthday in two years, and the university’s staying power is truly a testament to the power of sustained creative – and often audacious – thought.
These qualities are also the defining characteristics in two Shenandoah Conservatory leaders who have agreed to step into new roles designed to help the university build upon its strengths while also expanding them.
The university is pleased to announce that the current Dean of Shenandoah Conservatory and Professor of Music Michael Stepniak, Ed.D., has agreed to be Shenandoah’s first executive dean for creativity and the arts. While he will remain connected to Shenandoah Conservatory and chair the conservatory advisory board, he will step away from being Shenandoah Conservatory’s dean to take a larger role in the stewardship of key campaign goals. Happily, Conservatory Senior Associate Dean; Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs; Charlotte A. & Verne E. Collins Endowed Professorship and Professor of Music Education Jeffrey Marlatt, Ph.D., will serve as Shenandoah Conservatory’s interim dean.
University President Tracy Fitzsimmons, Ph.D., said, “I’m delighted that Michael will bring his immense talents to this new role, and also delighted that Jeff, a leader with great breadth of experience, will be able to step seamlessly into the interim dean role. I look forward to working with both of them, and with the Conservatory faculty and staff, as we launch the arts to a new level at SU.”
As executive dean for creativity and the arts, Dr. Stepniak, whose connections with conservatory supporters are flourishing, will help lead the fundraising and design process for a new arts and creativity complex, which will include a new concert hall, in partnership with the Senior Vice President/Vice President for Advancement Mitch Moore. He will also guide both integration of creative initiatives in programs across all university schools and look at university-wide brand connectivity, in collaboration with deans and the university’s marketing and communications office.
Stepniak’s skills are uniquely compatible with this executive dean role. He is an acknowledged thought leader and visionary national voice advocating for innovative change in education, as well as a critically acclaimed musician (viola/violin) and author. Under his leadership, Shenandoah Conservatory attracted renowned faculty, developed nationally ranked programs, advanced in IDE work, and developed nationally significant innovative curricula and initiatives from Capital Performances to ShenCoSKILLS as well as student-led leadership projects, from the Conservatory Student Council to the yearly weeklong ShenCoLAB, which culminates in a daylong Festival of Arts, Ideas & Exploration.
Also during his tenure, the Conservatory significantly strengthened its culture of philanthropy, resulting in the highly successful All-Steinway School and Harold Herman Lab Theatre fundraising campaigns as well as the development of donor societies such as the Dean’s Circle. As a soloist and chamber musician, he has performed in major concert halls and venues in 11 countries, and during his time as associate dean of performing arts at Adelphi University, he oversaw the launch and operationalization of a $30 million, state-of-the-art performing arts facility.
“I’m grateful to the provost, president and university for providing me with an opportunity to step into a newly challenging leadership role. It has been an extraordinary privilege during these past 14 years to build relationships both internally and externally, and with the president’s and provost’s support, to help the Conservatory flourish and increase in national stature,” Stepniak said. “I’ve especially enjoyed the opportunity to hire and support our wonderful faculty and staff, champion student leadership, and advance our IDE work and collaborative orientation. No one knows the people and programs of the Conservatory better than Jeff; I know the school is in good hands for its next chapter!”
Stepniak will begin in his new role on June 5, 2023.
