New dean for School of Social Work
Dr. Donna Hardy Cox has been appointed dean of the School of Social Work for a five-year term. The appointment was approved by the Board of Regents at its Dec. 19, 2013 meeting and became effective as of Jan. 1, 2014.
The first female Memorial social work graduate to be named dean of the school, Dr. Hardy Cox is quite familiar to Memorial, having served on the student union as a student, and subsequently as a director of student development, tenured professor, inaugural associate dean of graduate programs and scholarship for the School of Social Work, and recently serving as acting dean and then dean pro tempore for the school.
Born and raised in Newfoundland, Dr. Hardy Cox's social work research included social policy in the Confederation Era and she has more recently conducted research in rural NL. Her research focusses on social work education, interprofessional education, service delivery systems in higher education, and community capacity building, with an emphasis on youth.
Holding a B.S.W. (Memorial University), M.S.W. (Carleton University), Ed.D (University of Maine), and a certificate in university management (University of Manitoba), Dr. Hardy Cox brings over two decades of experience designing and delivering social work, higher education and professional development curriculum in online, distance, and face-to-face classrooms. She also brings many years of leadership experience, including the development and administration of student development and success programs in her roles of director of student development at Memorial, and president of both the Canadian and the Atlantic Association of College and University Student Services.
Dr. Hardy Cox was honorary research associate, School of Graduate Studies, University of New Brunswick, has held visiting scholar positions, and was a professional affiliate, Centre for Higher Education Research and Development, University of Manitoba, and the founding director of its Canadian Institute on Student Affairs and Services.
In addition to being a registered social worker, Dr. Hardy Cox has demonstrated a strong commitment to volunteering with community organizations, including a long standing connection with Girl Guides of Canada.
"I am looking forward to the opportunity to work once again with the larger Memorial community," said Dr. Hardy Cox. "As the school enters into its fourth decade, we are in a major renewal phase. Our research capacity is growing, we are innovating in our teaching, and we continue to build on our liaisons with the community locally and continue to develop international partnerships and initiatives. The combination of the high caliber of the school's students, the expertise of our faculty, our experienced and dedicated staff, along with our trusted alumni, provides a supportive and exciting atmosphere to take on this deanship position."