Heather Stassen
We sat down with Dr. Heather Stassen, the founding Dean of the College of Arts, Sciences, and Education (CASE) at Daemen University, to talk about her role and what it means to Daemen. Since her appointment in June, 2022, she has been charged with establishing strategic priorities for the college and advancing the liberal arts mission of the university.
What do you love about your position?
I am fortunate to work with talented department chairs and am proud of our excellent students and faculty. For example, the Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) Department offers exhibits throughout the year. Every time I walk through the Tower Gallery, I am stunned by the high-quality work our students and faculty produce. I enjoy seeing students in action. There is nothing better than peeking into an animation lab late at night and seeing the students hard at work and knowing that our faculty are fostering that kind of work ethic and creativity every single day.
Can you tell us about the General Education Program?
We allow students to customize their general education path based on their interests. In some cases, their individual passions and interests are not necessarily their current primary interest of study or career goals. We allow students to choose classes that compliment their main area of study. Employers are consistently looking for students who can write, read, and speak well. At Daemen, we help students gain these skills, while also teaching them to think critically and be good citizens of the world.
How has the Education Program grown at Daemen?
Daemen’s Education Program has grown immensely. We are offering six new graduate programs on the Amherst campus. There is so much creativity and development to meet the changing needs of education. We are producing amazing teachers who are not only creative and thoughtful, but want to work with students and can adapt to the changing needs of contemporary education.
Can you tell us about the Cytotechnology Program?
The Cytotechnology Program is a unique 4+1 pathway—where students can earn a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in just five years—in collaboration with our partners at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, one of the leading cancer institutes in the country. The high-quality students we have that are going into this field will make a true difference in healthcare. We are extremely proud of our collaboration with Roswell and the incredibly successful alumni who have gone through that program.