By Mallory Schlabach, Editor in Chief

When Dr. Jeanine Varner arrives on campus this summer, the first thing she’ll do is look to see where she can fit best.

Varner, vice president of academic achievement at Oklahoma Christian University, was selected as the new dean of the College of Arts and Sciences earlier this week, after a semester-long search process.

She will take the place of Dr. Colleen Durrington, current dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, who will retire at the end of the semester.

“I’ve heard and read so much about ACU, and went through the course catalog,” Varner said. “Now I’m just excited to get to Abilene and begin working with the faculty and students.”

Varner and four other candidates both from in and outside the university, were chosen as the five final candidates for the position by an eight-member search committee, made up of faculty members from various fields in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Dr. Carley Dodd, assistant professor of communication and chair of the search committee, said the committee was pleased with who was chosen.

Once the candidates were narrowed down to five, Dodd said the candidates then met numerous people on campus including: the deans of the other colleges, Dr. Royce Money, president of the university and Dr. Dwayne VanRheenen, provost; an ethnic and diversity committee; department chairs from the College of Arts and Sciences, staff from both the technology support department and library, and staff in the dean’s office.

From there, the committee then ranked the candidates after receiving feedback from the faculty, staff and administrators who hadmet with them, and left the final decision up to Money and VanRheenen.

Varner said she was “absolutely delighted” to be selected for the position.

“I’ve been at OC for 20 years and loved it, but I knew it was time for me to take on a new challenge,” she said.

She said Glenn Pemberton, chair of the Bible, Missions and Ministry Department, a friend of hers from Oklahoma, encouraged her to apply for the position around Christmas time.

After thinking about the position, she decided to take a chance.

“I was just honored to be chosen for the position because I know there were many good candidates both internally and a few outsiders like me,” she said. “I’m eager to work with the faculty, including those who were also interested in this position.”

For Varner, Dodd said some of her strengths were that she comes to ACU with a lot of knowledge about art and science fields because of past experience.

Varner has spent her entire career, 34 years, in Christian higher education. For the past 20 years, she’s worked at Oklahoma Christian University serving as an English professor, chair of the Language and Literature Department, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and, for the past 11 years, as the vice president of academic achievement.

Dodd said although the other candidates also may have had these qualities, these stuck out about her.

“Dr. Varner does well with synthesizing key ideas and making those ideas implemental policy,” he said. “She also has a good sense of the vision for the future and where we should go as a college; she is extremely supportive of the faculty and staff, and is an excellent listener, which is something that impressed the faculty and chairs that met with her.”

Varner said she thinks her previous experience in an administrative role will help her here.

“Although ACU is quite different than OC, I know my role at ACU; working with faculty and students will allow me to use the same experiences,” she said.

She said, though, there are more important things she brings to the position than experience.

“Most importantly, I whole-heartedly support the mission of Christian higher education,” she said. “I also love teaching. The significant joy of my life has been teaching students, and I am thankful that I will still be able to do that here.

“I also think that the dean’s role will allow me to model what it means to teach well and enable other faculty to do their best work. I want to be able to empower them to build on their strengths and to be able to offer them new resources if they need them.”

She said she’s anxious to get here as soon as possible, and mostly its because of the community she’s about to join.

“When I first arrived at ACU for my interviews, I was struck at how much I felt at home here,” she said. “It didn’t feel awkward, and I didn’t wonder who everyone was around me. It just felt right.”

Varner will finish her duties at OC before moving to Abilene with her husband Paul and their dog this summer. Her position is expected to begin July 1.

“I’m just looking forward to the adventure of finding out where I can contribute at ACU,” she said.