SLU Names Permanent Dean of College of Arts and Sciences
Saint Louis University has appointed Donna LaVoie, Ph.D., to be the dean of SLU’s College of Arts and Sciences, effective July 1, 2023.
LaVoie has been a member of the SLU faculty for nearly 30 years. She most recently served as interim dean, overseeing the transition of the college as the University reorganized to create SLU’s new School for Science and Engineering.
“I thank Dr. LaVoie for her never-ending commitment to SLU and the College of Arts and Sciences,” said University Provost Mike Lewis, Ph.D., in announcing the appointment. “I am confident that the college is staged to thrive under her leadership well into the future.”
A professor of psychology, LaVoie also served as an associate dean in the college for 12 years. Beyond Arts and Sciences, LaVoie has chaired and served on multiple task forces, standing committees and search committees, including the Academic Strategic Planning Steering Committee.
“Community members clearly voiced their assessment that Dean LaVoie’s experience, serving in numerous academic leadership roles in the college, positioned her well to preserve and advance CAS’ central role in the life of the University,” Lewis said.
LaVoie’s service to SLU has been recognized in multiple ways, including a Woman of the Year Award in 2019, a YWCA Leader Award in 2010 and the Frank J. Severin, S.J. Award for Distinguished Service to the Psychology Department in 2010.
“SLU has been my academic home for my entire career, as I have felt deeply connected to its mission and the SLU community,” LaVoie said. “Serving as the interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences since 2020 has only solidified these connections for me.
"I am convinced that our Jesuit mission and our excellent faculty and staff provide an exceptional educational experience for all our students. The college is well-positioned to continue this trajectory of excellence in our teaching and scholarly pursuits, and I look forward to leading the college as its dean.”
LaVoie earned both master’s and degrees in cognitive psychology at Claremont Graduate University in California, where she also held multiple endowed fellowships while a student. She has garnered more than $200,000 in grants and research awards, including a recent SLU Spark Grant in 2020 while serving as associate dean of the college.
LaVoie is the author of more than 80 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, book reviews and scholarly conference presentations and has served as a peer reviewer for over a dozen leading journals in the various subfields of psychology.
LaVoie’s appointment follows a national search led by a search committee comprised of faculty, staff, students and trustees. William Johnson, J.D., dean of the School of Law, chaired the search committee.
About the College of Arts and Sciences
Established in 1818, the College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest and largest academic unit at Saint Louis University. The college offers academic degrees across a range of subjects and fields, including the humanities, sciences, fine and performing arts, and social sciences, as well as opportunities and hands-on experience outside of the traditional classroom.