Business
March 10, 2021
Dr. DeVaughn Will Lead the University’s Undergraduate and Graduate Business Programs
The University of Portland (UP) has completed its search for a new Dean of the Dr. Robert B. Pamplin, Jr., School of Business, today naming Michael L. DeVaughn, Ph.D., to the position effective July 1. Dr. DeVaughn becomes the successor to Dr. Robin Anderson, who retired in June 2020. Since Dr. Anderson’s retirement, Dr. Gary Malecha, the University’s Tyson Distinguished Professor, has served as Interim Dean for the Pamplin School.
Dr. DeVaughn makes history as the first African-American dean of the UP business school named for Dr. Robert B. Pamplin, Jr., Chairman, President and CEO of the R.B. Pamplin Corporation. A search committee chaired by UP Provost Dr. Herbert A. Medina directed the national search that identified and ultimately selected Dr. DeVaughn.
“Dr. DeVaughn comes to UP with a deep personal appreciation for the strength of our educational offerings and the richness of our community,” said University President Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C., in an announcement today to UP faculty, staff, and students. “When speaking with Michael, his passion for our University’s Catholic and Holy Cross missions, his dedication to matters of equity and inclusion, and his commitment to business education rooted in the liberal arts are immediately apparent. His experience as a teacher, scholar, and administrator, together with his empathy and enthusiasm, make him the right person to lead the Pamplin School of Business into its next exciting chapter.”
“I am thrilled to be joining UP as the next Dean of the Pamplin School of Business,” said Dr. DeVaughn about the appointment. “UP’s educational, mission-centered excellence has been on my radar for years, ever since my son was an undergraduate there. As a Pilot parent, I am already a member of the UP family and look forward to the next, exciting, challenging chapter of my engagement with the University.”
Dr. DeVaughn joins the University from the Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has been a faculty member at St. Thomas since 2008 and has served in various leadership roles at the institution including Faculty Director of the M.B.A. Program and Research Fellow in the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship. His scholarship has centered on organizational learning and entrepreneurship, as well as the delivery of business education.
Dr. DeVaughn received his bachelor’s degree from Brown University, his M.B.A. from Indiana University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to joining St. Thomas, he served on the faculty at the University of Minnesota and enjoyed a successful career in the private sector with corporations including Ralston Purina, PepsiCo, and Fleet Financial Group (now Bank of America).
University of Portland
5000 N. Willamette Blvd.,
Portland, Oregon 97203-5798
503.943.8000
This website uses cookies to track information for analytics purposes. You can view the full University of Portland privacy policy for more information.
