By Jen Cardone | The Duquesne Duke
The McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts named Jason Broadwater its first assistant dean last week.
Broadwater was a director of student and enrollment services at Penn State University’s Fayette Campus. He also worked as an admissions counselor, then as a student services coordinator for the P.I. Reed School of Journalism at West Virginia University.
Broadwater earned his Bachelor of Arts from Bethany College in communication and Master of Science from West Virginia University in integrated marketing communication.
“It’s really exciting to be here,” Broadwater said. “I’m tremendously thankful to the hiring committee for selecting me for this position and hope to be a part of Duquesne University for a long time.”
Assistant dean is a new position in the liberal arts school. According to Dean James Swindal, the assistant dean’s primary duties are graduate and undergraduate recruitment, alumni relations, grant writing and event planning. Broadwater will serve as the leader of organization in these areas.
“I expect that it will help me and all of the College staff and faculty to be more effective in each of these areas,” Swindal said.
Broadwater began working at the University in September. He said he is looking forward to the work.
“This job aligns well with my strengths. So, it’s an opportunity to utilize those strengths and contribute to the college and University in a meaningful way,” Broadwater said.
One thing Broadwater loves about Duquesne is “the experiences and ways to approach things that everyone brings to the table.”
In addition to his work, Broadwater is excited to be back in his hometown. A lifelong Pittsburgh resident, he said it is “a dream come true to work in the city.”
“The people, what the University represents and the city of Pittsburgh were all big factors in me wanting to come to Duquesne to work,” Broadwater said. “The values of Duquesne really align with my personal and family values. I love Pittsburgh.”
Swindal also said the school is “really happy” to have Broadwater join the administration. He said Broadwater’s experience and ability to engage students in projects will be beneficial to faculty, alumni and students.
Kate McKeen, who supervised Broadwater at West Virginia University, got to know him in the journalism school. She said Broadwater helped her create a “pipeline of journalism students” interested in admissions careers.
“Several of [the students] went on to pursue careers in Admissions and Higher Education at West Virginia University and other institutions,” McKeen wrote in an email. “This served as an excellent partnership.”
Although McKeen now works at High Point University as the vice president for recruitment and admissions, she and Broadwater remain in contact. She said Duquesne is “very lucky to have him as a part of their team,” and remembered her time working with him.
“He had high expectations of himself, set goals, and achieved those goals,” McKeen wrote. “He learned quickly and shared his knowledge with new team members.”
