Erika Engel-Small hopes to continue the curation of strong student-professor relationships, so graduates want to give back to the place that helped shaped them into who they are today.  

On March 14, Engel-Small was announced as the new dean of the Wall College of Business Administration. She will officially step into the position on April 1 after serving as interim dean since January 2020.  

“I’ve been here 15 years. I know the people, the students, the faculty, the staff, and I love it here. It’s my home, my family, my work family, and so I have a lot of passion for this group,” Engel-Small said. 

Engel-Small started at CCU in 2007. Prior to being dean, she served as chair of the Department of Management and Decision Sciences. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Louisiana State University, and earned a doctoral degree in industrial and organizational psychology from the University of Tennessee.  

One of the first things Engel-Small said she will tackle as dean is curriculum development. She wants to give more value to degrees by adding skill sets needed beyond the classroom. In addition, she hopes to continue with the trend of alumni who want to give back to their university.  

“I want the Wall College to be a place where relationships are built and maintained long after the student leaves the confines of the Wall building,” Engel-Small said.