Western Connecticut State University
Abstract
At a time when every aspect of higher education and society seems to be in flux, or even turmoil, we can make sense of it all — and respond strategically rather than reactively — using the tools offered by the liberal arts, and particularly the humanities. A university education is meant to prepare students for professional lives, but also to become global citizens. For VELI, our team seeks to develop and champion a strategic plan for the Macricostas School of Arts and Sciences (MSAS) at Western Connecticut State University (WCSU), that aligns academic programs across departments, creates intentional interdisciplinary pathways for students, and establishes a shared set of values that guide decision-making around curriculum and assessment. We aim to achieve this within budgetary constraints — without compromising academic offerings or the civic value that liberal arts courses provide. Simultaneously, we seek to establish a school-wide assessment strategy that goes beyond looking at quantifiable outcomes such as enrollment numbers and grades. As we reenvision and recommit to the central tenets of the liberal arts, we strive to create a set of shared values and priorities that will inform our efforts to build an MSAS culture of belonging for faculty, students, and staff.
Meet the Team
Dr. Michelle Brown is an award-winning, energetic and visionary university administrator with 30 years of higher education experience in both public and private institutions. In 14 years of academic leadership, she has earned a reputation for strategic problem solving through building and managing successful cross-functional teams, initiatives, and programs that create institutional growth and inclusive campus culture. She has led large-scale, complex strategic transformations at both institutional and system levels including strategic planning and implementation and building student support structures. She is currently Dean of the Macricostas School of Arts and Sciences at Western Connecticut State University. Previously, she was the Shenandoah University Fellow for Academic Excellence, equivalent to an Associate Provost. Dr. Brown’s teaching and research expertise are in African literatures, gender, and writing. She also previously led a nonprofit and has industry experience in managing marketing and technical communications. Dr. Brown earned a PhD in English from the University of Maryland.
Dr. Bernadette Ludwig is the Assistant Dean of the Macricostas School of Arts and Sciences at Western Connecticut State University. She brings experience in higher education administration, faculty development, and community engagement. She earned a PhD in Sociology from The Graduate Center, CUNY. Her research examines the intersections of immigration, race, and gender, with particular attention to how seemingly race-neutral refugee/immigration policies are inherently racist, as detailed in her book Unwelcome Shores: Black Refugees in America (Rutgers University Press, 2025).
Dr. Ludwig’s leadership and scholarship also advance community-engaged learning (CEL). She has supported faculty in developing CEL courses and securing grants that strengthen university-community partnerships. Previously a Sociology professor and Director of Civic Engagement, she champions collaborative work centering student success, faculty expertise, and belonging. Before entering academia, she held leadership roles at NGOs. A first-generation college graduate and immigrant, she is committed to supporting students and faculty, particularly those from historically excluded groups.
Dr. Katherine Allocco is an Associate Professor at history at Western Connecticut State University where she has been teaching medieval European history since Fall 2006. She earned her PhD in History from the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Allocco offers courses in medieval women, medieval Britain, medieval mysticism, medieval cities and medieval monsters as well as her new Social Justice in Global History course. Dr. Alloco’s research specializes in issues of gender, power and authority in fourteenth century England and France. Currently, she explores these topics through studying images and descriptors of medieval women, particularly queens and warriors, in medieval chronicles and art, and also in modern sources, such as comic books and film. Inspired by her students, Dr. Alloco is interested in exploring and understanding how medieval women and men are perceived, positioned and utilized today and why they are often used to serve current socio-political interests. She teaches in the Women’s Studies Program and graduate studies program.
Dr. Jessica Anderson Schofield is an assistant professor of political science at Western Connecticut State University. She earned a PhD in Political Science from the University of Missouri and a BA in Global Studies and Political Science from South Dakota State University. She specializes in the study of international relations and comparative politics. Her research focuses primarily on issues relating to international human rights and enforcement of human rights law through international courts, with a particular focus on the International Criminal Court and the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. In addition to these topics, Dr. Schofield researches and teaches on topics relating to women’s rights, political violence, African politics, and the United Nations and is a faculty representative for WCSU’s involvement in Scholars at Risk and the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights. Dr. Schofield received the 2025 Connecticut Board of Regents Faculty Teaching Award.
