SBCC Names Acting Executive Vice President
Dean Spaventa, who will celebrate 20 years of service with the college this month, replaces Dr. Jack Friedlander, who assumed the responsibilities of acting superintendent/president on July 29 through June 30, 2012. In her new role, Dean Spaventa will oversee all the college’s credit academic and student support programs and services, also until June 30, 2012.
As dean of educational programs since 2001, Dean Spaventa has provided leadership to SBCC’s School of Modern Languages; Science Division; Mathematics Division; International Students Support Programs and Services; Study Abroad Programs; Disabled Student Programs and Services; Center for Sustainability; Math, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Program; and the Faculty Teaching and Learning Seminar.
Earlier, Dean Spaventa served as a faculty member and SBCC Chair of the Department of English as a Second Language (ESL). She has an extensive background in ESL teacher training and program development including positions at SBCC, UCSB Extension, Penn State University, and Hawaii Pacific College. Outside of the U.S., she also has taught or consulted in five foreign countries and served as a Peace Corp Volunteer in Seoul, Korea in the early 1970s.
Dean Spaventa is former chair of the California Community College Council for Staff Development and was a founding member of the Los Padres Chapter of CATESOL (California Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages.) She has published or contributed to numerous educational publications and a book series and has presented at more than 20 conferences at the local, regional and national levels.
In announcing the appointment, Dr. Jack Friedlander said, “Marilynn has a wide breath of knowledge about the college’s academic programs and student services and is well respected by faculty, her fellow administrators and managers, staff and students.” He added, “I am confident she will provide excellent leadership as executive vice president during this transitional period for SBCC.”