Elmhurst College has named Constance Mixon, director of urban studies and an associate professor of political science at the College, to serve as the interim vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty.
“Dr. Mixon brings a wealth of experience to this role, as well as a collaborative spirit and unwavering commitment to academic excellence that will serve her, and the College, extremely well in the months to come,” said President Troy D. VanAken. She will begin transitioning to her new role immediately.
Mixon joined Elmhurst College in the spring of 2010 to lead the Urban Studies Program. Over the past year, Professor Mixon has proven to be a strong faculty advocate as chair of the Elmhurst Faculty Council. She also serves as acting director of the College’s new Environmental Studies Program, and has provided political analysis and commentary during frequent appearances on local and national media outlets. Mixon also serves on the board of directors of One Million Degrees, which supports community college students; and the Citizen Advocacy Center government watchdog group.
Before coming to Elmhurst, Mixon taught political and social sciences for more than 11 years as a tenured member of the faculty at the City Colleges of Chicago. While at City Colleges, she also served as a dean of instruction. As the chief academic officer, she oversaw all aspects of academic instruction and programming for more than 10,000 students in degree and certificate programs, and directly supervised department chairpersons and program directors, with indirect supervisory responsibilities for more than 400 full- and part-time faculty members.
In 2001, nominated by her students, Mixon was named Illinois Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
She received her doctorate in political science and a master of public administration at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a bachelor’s degree in politics from Cornell College in Iowa.