As the new Dean of the Donald W. Maine College of Business and the College of Technology, Dr. Amy Mansfield is ready to put Davenport’s Vision 2025 into action. Officially beginning her term on June 28, 2021, Dr. Mansfield has already started mapping out Davenport’s next big opportunities.
“Dr. Mansfield’s experience in higher education has already been visible in her first few weeks,” said Dr. Richard J. Pappas, president of Davenport University. “She has stepped into her role ready to assist in leading our university-wide efforts to set a new standard for higher education across the country.”
In her new role, Dr. Mansfield is responsible for providing leadership for Davenport’s wide range of business and technology programs, including degrees in marketing, accounting, computer science, and cyber defense.
Stepping into a role leading some of Davenport’s most distinguished programs that never stop evolving is something that made Dr. Mansfield’s decision to join the team an easy one. “Davenport is continuously looking forward – looking for new opportunities, and how to take every program even one step further. I look forward to continuing that momentum,” said Dr. Mansfield.
Ready to hit the ground running, Dr. Mansfield plans to spend her first year concentrating on innovation, expanding Davenport’s footprint, and continuing to engage and utilize community partnerships.
Launching innovation
One key area of focus for Dr. Mansfield will be evaluating the innovative offerings available to Davenport business students. “I want to talk with our community, students, and industry partners to uncover how we can best provide training and support to meet their needs,” she said. “This includes our Entrepreneurial Center. We have an amazing space, with plenty of opportunities to develop entrepreneurial support that could make an impact in our community – not only through quality innovative education and training but also through innovative and inspiring activities on our campuses.”
Dr. Mansfield is also considering ways to create new ventures for the college of technology. “As we look to the future, we have some wonderful areas we can focus on developing in the college of technology. Between accreditations and potential new programs, I am looking forward to seeing how we can continue to bring new innovative opportunities to our cutting-edge technology initiatives,” she said.
Leveraging Relationships
Having spent the past 25 years of her career in leadership roles at Grand Rapids Community College, Dr. Mansfield brings to Davenport an extensive list of established relationships with industry and community college leaders across the state. Dr. Mansfield plans to leverage these partnerships to determine new initiatives that could provide more relevant and flexible learning opportunities.
Whether someone is in the trade industry and looking to continue their education, or a community college graduate looking to add a certificate to diversify their portfolio, Davenport prioritizes making education an option for everyone, without forcing individuals to sacrifice their current lifestyle. Davenport currently offers scholarships, flexible schedules, and even the newly added stackable certificates that allow students to apply existing credits to earn a program’s subsequent associate, bachelor, or even master-level programs. Dr. Mansfield is committed to continuing to expand Davenport’s offerings even further – by listening to our partners.
“Making sure we are having these conversations with partners, and really listening to their feedback, will empower us to continue to adapt to the ever-changing needs of every individual,” said Dr. Mansfield.
By reconnecting with both new and existing partners, Dr. Mansfield plans to re-align on new opportunities that will have the greatest impact on the Michigan workforce. “I am determined to continue to offer the best quality, most flexible, and most relevant learning opportunities for all Davenport business and technology students,” said Dr. Mansfield. “I’m excited to be here and to get started. I am already finding myself passionate in the effort to help all Davenport students rise above the rest and have successful futures.”
To learn more about Dr. Amy Mansfield and her qualifications, please click here
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