Kevin Reilly Named VP for Academic Affairs

you would like. Having the freedom to do that enabled me to be all those different things at once.”

Deickman enjoyed the curriculum of Ferrum’s graduate program. “I have been in other online programs before and they were very much regurgitation of information. While I still learned things, I was not as excited to learn. Ferrum’s program has been the opposite. I am always challenged and learning new things. The structure of each class is unique but is clearly laid out from the first day of class. I am learning about my own interest while being able to learn about psychology branches and research,” she said.

Ferrum College’s Senior Enrollment Officer Eric Grundman agrees with Deickman’s assessment. While working full-time for the College, Grundman enrolled last summer as a full-time graduate student, and also earned a Master of Science in psychology.

“Speaking from the perspective of the senior enrollment officer at Ferrum College, being a member of the first cohort and graduating class in Ferrum College history with an M.S. in psychology has been an incredibly positive experience,” said Grundman. “The past year has been truly enriching and fulfilling in every way. I’ve been able to gain knowledge as well as expand my professional network while working together with classmates who will be friends for a lifetime.”

Grundman will always feel grateful for his graduate school experience at Ferrum. “The faculty and staff have worked with me and my fellow classmates to guide us through this intensive online program with a level of compassion and a personal touch that might not otherwise be offered at larger institutions,” he said. “One of the greatest honors of my life is that I am able to say I am now a proud Ferrum College alumnus.” In September, Dr. Kevin Reilly was named vice president for Academic Affairs.

“My vision,” said Reilly, who served as acting vice president over the summer months, “is to work collaboratively and build upon our strengths: delivering outstanding opportunities for students through existing programs, while developing exciting new programs, to provide career-oriented experiences that prepare students for life after college.”

Reilly earned a B.S. in psychology and an M.A. in industrial/organizational psychology, both from Bridgewater State College. After receiving his Ph.D. in social cognition/ personality from Lehigh University in 2002, Reilly arrived at Ferrum College as a faculty member in the psychology department. He also served as a school dean for eight years before being named assistant vice president for Academic Affairs in 2019.

Reilly was instrumental in Ferrum’s glowing fall 2020 Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges accreditation review. He also helped the College receive authorization to offer a variety of masters and specialist degree programs.

“Kevin is an obvious choice for vice president for Academic Affairs,” said President David Johns. “He is deeply committed to our students and his work is filled with creativity, grace, and good humor. We would be hard pressed to find someone who knows us better or loves us more.”