Dr. Corrine Carvalho, professor of theology and executive adviser to the president at the University of St. Thomas, will become interim dean of the School of Social Work, effective July 1. Dr. Barbara Shank will begin a year’s administrative leave before retiring at the end of the 2017-18 academic year.
Corrine Carvalho
Carvalho received her B.A., magna cum laude, with a major in Latin and a minor in theology at the University of San Francisco in 1980. She received an M.A. from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, in 1984 and received a Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible and Old Testament studies from Yale University in 1991.
After beginning her teaching career at Florida State University, she joined the St. Thomas Department of Theology faculty in 1996. She served as director of St. Thomas’ Luann Dummer Center for Women from 2006-12, when her faculty peers chose her Professor of the Year.
President Julie Sullivan appointed her co-chair of the university’s Strategic Planning Steering Committee in 2013 and co-chair of the Strategic Planning Oversight Committee the following year. She served as chair of the faculty in 2014-15 and in that role served as a member of the President’s Cabinet. She also served on the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate from 2013-16.
The two university presidents and provosts are committed to a strong, vibrant, joint School of Social Work. The intent is to begin a nationwide search for a permanent dean once the provosts update the affiliation agreement.
