Marsha Blanchard, director of Southeast Missouri State University-Kennett, has been named dean of regional campuses at Southeast Missouri State University.
She will begin her new duties May 15.
In her new role, Blanchard will supervise staff members at the Kennett and Sikeston regional campuses, the Poplar Bluff delivery site and the Cape College Center, with responsibility for overall operation. She will strategize on course offerings, course rotations and academic programs at these sites, collaborate with colleges and departments on the Cape Girardeau campus to explore the academic program needs of the regional community and strategize on continuing to offer current program offerings and implementing additional programs. She will report to the Provost.
She also will chair advisory councils for the regional campuses and delivery sites and oversee maintenance of instructional technology at these locations. In addition, she will lead student recruitment and retention efforts for regional site programs.
I am very pleased Marsha Blanchard accepted our offer to become the new dean of regional campuses, said Dr. Karl Kunkel, Southeast provost. Ms. Blanchard has a very obvious passion for regional campus academic program delivery and a firm grasp on the needs and issues faced when making degree programs and courses accessible throughout the region.This passion, coupled with her experience and various leadership roles in higher education dating back to 1997, makes her an ideal candidate for this important role, and I look forward to watching the regional sites move to the next level serving students in southeast Missouri and fostering their success.
Blanchard has served as director of Southeasts Kennett Campus since the site opened in 2000. Her responsibilities have included management of the campus overall operations, including development and coordination of academic programs, hiring of staff, overseeing facility issues, coordinating Kennett and University operations, managing regional campus scholarships, organizing regional campus events, recruiting local adjunct faculty, recruiting and advising students, coordinating student opportunities, coordinating use of the building, representing Southeast at local events, managing the campus budget and coordinating advertising and community public relations.
She previously served as director of regional and technical education at then Three Rivers Community College, where she also was an adjunct faculty member. Blanchard also has served as a vocational counselor with the Missouri Division of Vocational Rehabilitation in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.
She has taken an active role in her community, serving on the Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center Board of Directors, Kennett Area Chamber of Commerce and its board of directors, Kennett Career and Technology Center Advisory Council, Advisory Board for New Covenant Fellowship Recovery Organization and the Advisory Council for Kennett Public Schools After School Program.