Dr. John Shannon will bring a view of the larger world to northeast Indiana when he assumes his position as Tri-State University’s Dean of the Jannen School of Arts & Sciences on Oct. 1.

Dr. Shannon worked for seven years as an academic leader at the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, pioneering the English department and intensive English program (IEP). He established systems, oversaw rapid curriculum development, designed undergraduate majors and minors, wrote the mission statements for the English department and IEP, and provided the final edition of all departmental and IEP information for the university’s catalogue.

He served on the Self-Study for Accreditation Steering Committee and chaired the Subcommittee for Student Services during his tenure. He laid the academic cornerstone for two departments throughout the birth and early years of the overseas American university, which has since earned independent accreditation through the Middle States Commission on Accreditation.

Since 2004, he has served as dean of a language school at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif., where he was responsible for all aspects of instruction for six departments made up of a diverse group of 130 faculty and staff. He oversaw curriculum development, personnel hiring and retention, faculty professional development, and the assessment of student learning. He managed an annual budget in excess of $10 million, and was responsible for buildings and equipment well over that amount.

He earned a doctorate in foreign and second language education at Ohio State University, and has taught pre-admissions, undergraduate and graduate-level university courses. He completed a master’s degree in applied linguistics at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, and a bachelor’s in psychology at State University of New York in Plattsburgh. Dr. Shannon delivers professional presentations and publishes scholarly articles regularly, with a focus on academic program administration.

“I lead faculty, department chairs, other supervisors, staff, and students by being accessible to them, initiating discussions on important issues, listening to their input, and making decisions based on the most pertinent information available,” he said of his role as dean. “Through my three years of work at the Defense Language Institute, I have become known as a highly academic, extremely well organized, inspirational, and fun-loving dean.”

In his role as TSU dean, Dr. Shannon will be responsible for implementing the University’s strategic plan for the Jannen School of Arts & Sciences; prepare and manage sound budgets; perform student recruitment, retention, and placement; seek accreditation in the school’s areas of study; perform external fundraising with the TSU Office of Alumni and Development; be involved with alumni relations, marketing, and public relations; perform outcomes assessment of student achievement; and lead professional development for faculty and staff.

“Tri-State University is very fortunate to have identified a professional with such diverse and impressive credentials to be the next dean of the Jannen School of arts & Sciences,” said Dr. David Finley, Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Standing on the shoulders of those who have preceded him, I am confident that he will lead the school to even greater heights.”