Veteran professor, Lisa Wilder, Ph.D., has been appointed dean of the School of Business and Professional Studies at Albright College.
Wilder joined the Albright economics faculty in 2001 and has served as chair of the department of Business, Accounting and Economics for three terms. During her tenure as chair, the department launched new majors in sports management and entertainment management.
In June 2023, Wilder was named interim dean of the School of Professional Studies. Over the past year, she has worked with faculty to successfully launch a new graduate concentration in healthcare administration and graduate certificates in athletic coaching, accounting, data analytics and digital marketing. Under her direction, enrollment in online undergraduate programs has increased by 13% and enrollment in graduate programs has increased by 60%.
“For more than 20 years, Dr. Wilder has been an invaluable leader at Albright College among both the faculty and the administration,” said Debra Townsley, Ph.D., interim president.
“She is a passionate educator of traditional and non-traditional students who has excelled in both in-person and online formats in the fields of comparative economics, labor economics and managerial economics, and she has been a supportive mentor and guide for countless students performing undergraduate research. Albright is thrilled to have her lead its new School of Business and Professional Studies.”
The School of Business and Professional Studies is home to undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs in the department of Business, Accounting and Economics and the department of Government, Policy and Health.
As dean, Wilder will lead the evolution of current programs and creation of new programs for the school, provide leadership, including management of human and fiscal resources, and work to develop and implement a strategic vision to move the School of Business and Professional Studies into the future.
Wilder, who holds a Ph.D. in economics from Virginia Tech, is the recipient of two awards for excellence in teaching: the Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award and the United Methodist Exemplary Teaching Award.
“Through years of experience, I see it as my mission to help students and faculty have the most effective environment in which to learn, teach and discover new knowledge, and I do so by making sure that the programs they are engaged in are relevant and the highest quality,” said Wilder.
“I am excited to take my experience in market research, new program development, budgeting and recruitment, and work collaboratively with my colleagues in the School of Business and Professional Studies to enhance programming and grow enrollment.”
