by Anthony J. Tamburri

Cari Amici,

We are delighted to announce that Donna Chirico, professor at York College CUNY and Chair of the inter-college Italian American Faculty and Staff Advisory Council, has been appointed Dean of for the School of Arts and Sciences at York College, CUNY.

As Provost Panayiotis Meleties stated in his announcement to the York College community, following a national search, Dr. Donna Chirico has been selected to the permanent position of Dean for the School of Arts and Sciences, effective July 1, 2015.

Dr. Chirico holds a bachelor's in psychology from York/CUNY, a master's in counseling psychology from Fordham University, and a doctorate in Religion and Education from Teachers College Columbia University.

Dr. Chirico, a developmental psychologist, began her faculty tenure in the department of Behavioral Sciences more than 20 years ago. In addition to being a master teacher, student and faculty mentor, she served the college in numerous leadership positions including participating and chairing major committees (curriculum, assessment, middle states and others), served as psychology discipline coordinator and department chair for four years. Since 2013 she has served as interim Dean for the School of Arts and Sciences.

In these positions Dr. Chirico was involved in critical College and University program development and implementation, such as the general education reorganization (Pathways), CUNYFIRST implementation and assessment. Dr. Chirico also led the development of new academic programs at York including the development of the ROTC program housed in the Department of Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Chirico has also been active as a mentor to students with many of her mentees pursuing and earning advanced degrees.

Dr. Chirico is an active scholar in the development of imagination and identity, particularly ethnic identity in psychological development. She has been a faculty fellow of the Calandra Institute studying the education attainment of Italian Americans in addition to ethnic identity development. Through increasing participation and leadership positions at the Institute she has been presenting her scholarship at conferences and invited lectures in the United States and in Italy, building faculty and student partnerships and collaborations with CUNY and Italian universities. She has published numerous articles and is active in presenting her research and scholarship both nationally and internationally.

Our warmest congratulations to Dean Donna Chirico!