University Park, Pa. -- The newest leader of the College of Health and Human Development is a familiar face to many at Penn State, as Ann C. Crouter, professor of human development, director of the Social Science Research Institute and director of the Consortium for Children, Youth and Families, has accepted the position of dean of the college, effective June 1 Her appointment was approved today (March 23) by the Board of Trustees.
"I am very proud to serve as the next dean of a college that has provided such a stimulating and supportive context for my own personal and professional development over the past 25 years," said Crouter. "The college's dual focus on health and development across the life span uniquely positions its faculty and students to address some of the most pressing social issues of our time. I look forward to working with them to strengthen our national leadership in this area."
Crouter has a long history at Penn State, joining the faculty in the College of Health and Human Development as assistant professor of human development in 1981. She was promoted to associate professor in 1987, and professor of human development in 1993.
"Dr. Crouter will be an outstanding dean for the College of Health and Human Development. She possesses all of the best qualities of leadership, and a deep commitment to the success of our students, faculty, staff and alumni," said Rodney A. Erickson, executive vice president and provost.
During her Penn State career, she was professor-in-charge of the graduate program in human development and family studies for six years and director of the Center for Work and Family Research (2002-06). She has been director of the Social Science Research Institute and director of the Consortium for Children, Youth and Families since 2006.
Crouter's research focuses on work and family in different populations and points of the life span. Through her research, she has examined how people's experiences at work affect their health, well-being, psychological development and family relationships; how those experiences affect their parenting and the health, well-being and development of their children; and how family life makes its mark on people when they go to work. For details, check Crouter's Web site at http://www.hhdev.psu.edu/hdfs/faculty/crouter.html online.
As dean, Crouter will lead a college consisting of two schools and seven departments offering programs consistently ranked among the top of their kind in the nation; nine research centers addressing major societal problems and influencing policies geared toward tackling those problems; 29 laboratories conducting leading-edge research and providing undergraduate and graduate students world-class faculty and facilities to enhance their academic and professional interests; and nine units providing various clinical and other services that have an immediate impact on those they serve. The college's faculty represent some of the most respected leaders in their disciplines, including fellows, presidents and board and committee members of numerous national academies and organizations.
Before joining Penn State, Crouter was an associate researcher with the Center for the Study of Youth Development in Boys Town, Neb. She earned her bachelor's degree in psychology and English from Stanford University in 1976, and her doctorate in human development and family studies from Cornell University in 1982. She has won numerous fellowships and awards, including Penn State's Faculty Scholar Medal for Excellence in the Social and Behavioral Sciences in 2006; the Evan G. and Helen G. Pattishall Outstanding Research Achievement Award from the College of Health and Human Development in 2004; and the President's Award for Excellence in Academic Integration of Research, Teaching and Service in 1999.
She holds memberships in several professional organizations, and has written or edited numerous books and other publications. From 1988 to the present, she has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Christian Children's Fund, and from 2005 to 2006 served as the chair of this international, non-governmental organization serving children, families and communities in need around the world.