Saran Stewart, an associate professor at the University of Connecticut (UConn) Hartford who was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, has been appointed to serve as the university’s Director of Academic Affairs. The Jamaican native has taught at the university since 2020 in the Neag School of Education Department of Educational Leadership.

Campus Director Welcomes Appointment

Mark Overmyer-Velazques, UConn’s Hartford campus director, announced Stewart’s appointment and expressed his excitement at the opportunity to work with her in supporting the university’s faculty, teaching, and research. He noted that Dr. Stewart has years of experience working with senior administrative personnel during her tenure as the Deputy Dean of the College of Humanities and Education at the University of the West Indies. Her skills in teaching and research will facilitate the university’s mission to provide experiential learning opportunities and solution-focused services in Connecticut’s capital city that will result in improvements for its communities.

Holds Multiple Degrees

Dr. Stewart has bachelor’s degrees in English and international studies, a master’s degree in international administration, an MBA in marketing, and a Ph.D. in higher education, concentrating on diversity and higher education with a specialization in international education development.

Years of Experience

Dr. Stewart has over 13 years of experience in higher education, serving as an administrator, professor, and scholar-activist throughout the world. She currently serves as the Director of Global Education at the university’s Neag School, specializing in global and comparative high education as well as the experiences of marginalized faculty and staff in the higher education field. In her work, she utilizes intersectionality; critical race theory; and postcolonial, decolonial, post-diasporic, and critical and inclusive teaching theories. Dr. Stewart also focuses on teaching and learning in local and global contexts, particularly in the Caribbean region.

New Duties at Hartford

In her new role, Dr. Stewart will work with university faculty and be the chief faculty partner in the campus director’s office. As a partner, she will provide guidance and support concerning academic issues. She started in her position at the Hartford campus on August 23, 2022, and will continue to teach classes in educational leadership.

Photo – Saran Stewart’s Facebook Profile