Graduate Studies Announces Leadership and Structure Updates

UNO’s Office of Graduate Studies is excited to announce new updates to its leadership and staff structure.

The office welcomes Juan Casas, Ph.D., as associate dean for Graduate Studies. This new position was created to provide additional leadership and governance over academic and administrative projects.

Casas joined UNO in 2001 with the Department of Psychology. As of Fall 2019, he will be promoted to professor. His research interests include relational aggression and victimization, peer relationships, and friendships. He will continue teaching in the child psychology and social development areas. Casas previously served as the director of the Developmental Psychology graduate program and as the associate director of the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS).

In addition to the new associate dean position, Graduate Studies completed an internal staff restructuring process to better serve students and its stakeholders. The office is now organized around three teams, working collaboratively with one another to achieve its goals. The teams and directors include: Enrollment Services, led by Brittney Knowlton; Recruitment, Marketing and Events, led by Richard Larson; and Operations and Support, led by Penny Harmoney.

Knowlton joined Graduate Studies in 2017 as assistant director. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, as well as a Master of Arts in Communication from UNO. Larson first joined UNO in 2016 with a role in University Communications before transitioning to Graduate Studies to support marketing and recruitment. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, and will earn his Master of Public Administration at UNO next month. Harmoney is a Graduate Studies veteran, supporting the department’s technical systems for almost 30 years. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Science in Education from the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Graduate Studies worked with Human Resources over several months to build a more effective structure. With updated job descriptions and more clearly defined responsibilities, the office is better prepared to face the opportunities and challenges of graduate education.

“I’m excited for our office and for Juan to join the team,” said Dean Deborah Smith-Howell, Ph.D. “The analysis and restructuring effort has aligned our office to provide comprehensive support to prospective and current students, faculty and staff, and community partners.”

A complete staff roster is available on the Graduate Studies website. The new structure will allow the office to provide the best possible experience for students from engagement during the inquiry stage through the assistance with the graduation process.