Whitworth University Names Erica Salkin Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences
A member of the Whitworth faculty since 2012, she is a professor of Communication Studies and has played a key role in shaping the university’s academic direction.
“I am thrilled by Dr. Erica Salkin’s permanent appointment as dean of the College of Arts & Sciences,” says John Pell, provost & executive vice president. “Her visionary leadership, deep commitment to academic excellence, innovative program development, and unwavering support for faculty and students make her an outstanding choice to guide the college into its next chapter of distinction.”
The administration regularly seeks Salkin’s expertise when forming task forces on topics such as free speech and civil discourse. Highly respected by her colleagues, she was named one of the two inaugural faculty fellows for the Honors Program. In 2018, she received Whitworth’s Faculty Service Award and has twice been named Most Influential Professor. First, by the Class of 2017 and then again in 2023.
Salkin has made numerous contributions to institutional service at Whitworth, including six years as chair of the university’s curriculum committee, four years as faculty advisor to the student newspaper The Whitworthian, and seven years as faculty advisor to Beyond the Pines, Whitworth’s student-run PR agency.
“It’s a privilege to serve the students, faculty and staff of the College of Arts & Sciences, and Whitworth University as a whole, in this role,” says Salkin. “The College is a place of deep commitment – to students, to academic excellence, to each other and to our Christian liberal arts mission. Nurturing that commitment will be both serious and joyful work.”
Salkin serves on the board of the Private School Journalism Association, an organization dedicated to supporting and enhancing student media at private K–12 schools. She is a published author who has written three books including Private Schools and Student Media: Supporting Mission, Students, and Community and Students’ Right to Speak. She is often called upon to deliver keynote presentations and participate in panel discussions at events throughout the country and she has partnered numerous times with undergraduate students on research projects that have led to co-authored presentations and publications.
Salkin received her Doctor of Philosophy in mass communication, her Master of Arts in journalism and mass communication and her bachelor of arts from University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Salkin replaces John Pell, who was appointed provost and executive vice president earlier this month.
About Whitworth University:
Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private Christian liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of about 2,500 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Contacts:
Trisha Coder, associate director of media relations, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or tcoder@whitworth.edu.
