Social Work graduate appointed vice provost at Saint Mary’s of Minnesota

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota has promoted Sarah Ferguson, alumna of the University of Minnesota School of Social Work, to vice provost for Faculties and Academic Affairs.

At the University of Minnesota, Ferguson earned her PhD in social work in 2006, and her joint master’s degree in social work and public affairs in 1996.

She has been with Saint Mary’s University for just over two years, serving as associate vice president for the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs and academic dean.

Her new role at Saint Mary’s includes supporting the faculty and deans with oversight of academic policies and planning, hiring, promotion and tenure procedures, academic programs, and curriculum, assessment and instruction. She will also oversee libraries, Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, Writing Center, Instructional Technologies, and the associate dean for curriculum and assessment.

Prior to joining Saint Mary’s, she was an associate professor of Social Work at St. Catherine University and served in various academic administrative roles at St. Catherine University and the University of St. Thomas, including director of the BSW and MSW Program in the School of Social Work and the faculty speaker for St. Catherine University.

Her extensive background includes numerous teaching and academic awards, research and teaching assistant grants, conference presentations, and publications. Her most recent publication was, “Social Work Licensure and Macro Social Work Education: An Exploratory Study of Impacts and Influences,” in the journal, Advances in Social Work.