MMC Names Podell Vice President of Academic Affairs

(New York, NY) David Podell has joined Marymount Manhattan College as the new Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty. 

“This college has an amazing faculty of talented scholars and artists who are deeply committed to their students,” Podell said. “I look forward to working with them and all the members of the Marymount Manhattan community in implementing the college’s new Strategic Plan that will further enhance the academic richness of the College.”

Podell most recently served as Chief Academic Officer of the College of Staten Island, City University of New York, where he was responsible for overseeing the academic administration of the College, including personnel, curriculum and budgets. Under Podell’s leadership the College of Staten Island achieved the highest FTE enrollment and largest entering class in the College’s history for the 2007-2008 school year. He also spearheaded the creation of an honors program, The Verrazano School; initiated a new international high school funded by the Gates Foundation; and obtained a U.S. Department of Education Title III grant to promote retention of undergraduates through faculty and student mentoring.

Podell has worked for the CUNY College of Staten Island for 20 years in a variety of administrative and teaching roles. He served as Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences (1998-2002); Chair of the Department of Education (1995-1998); Director of the Special Education Program (1996-1998); and created and coordinated a study abroad program in Special Education in Copenhagen, Denmark (1990-1999). Podell also served as an assistant professor (1988-1993), an associate professor (1993-1998), and a professor of education (1998-2008) and was on the faculty in Urban Education and Education Psychology at the CUNY Graduate Center. Podell’s other achievements include writing and co-writing a variety of publications focused on education and special education initiatives. 

Podell is also a member of the American Psychological Association, the American Educational Research Association and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Podell, who is also a New York State licensed psychologist, has been a board member of Skylight on Staten Island, a center for educational, vocational and counseling services for adults with mental illness. 

Podell graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania in 1978 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. He also earned a master’s degree in education from Harvard University in 1980 and a doctorate degree from New York University in 1986.

Published: July 15, 2008