Bethlehem, Pa, March 9, 2015—Cynthia K. Kosso, Ph.D. was recently named provost and dean of the faculty at Moravian College. Kosso will replace Gordon Weil, Ph.D. as the chief academic officer upon Weil's retirement on June 30, 2015.

Kosso comes to Moravian College from Northern Arizona University where she is the provost's faculty fellow. She is a tenured full professor in the department of history and hashas held a wide variety of administrative positions at the University, including two years as associate vice president of enrollment management and student affairs, six years as History Department chair, as well as associate director and interim director of the University Honors Program.

“It is with great excitement that I welcome Dr. Kosso to the Moravian College community,” said Moravian College President Bryon L. Grigsby ’90. “I am confident that Cynthia will lead us to the next level of academic excellence as we bring forth the institution's 2015-2020 Strategic Plan.”

“This is a chance to bring together my own varied experiences and I am excited to embrace new responsibilities in order to help with the opportunities and challenges at a remarkable and widely respected college,” Kosso said. “I am committed to developing and enhancing further the College’s existing academic offerings, value and prestige.”

Kosso received her B.A. in History from Montana State University, an M.A. in Ancient History and an M.A. in Classics and Archaeology from the University of Minnesota. She earned a Ph.D. in Ancient History and Classical Archaeology from University of Illinois at Chicago.

As an administrator, Kosso has worked to improve collaborations across internal divisions at Northern Arizona University, all in support of increasing student success and access. She has a deep commitment to social justice and civic engagement, which has resulted in effective programming and opportunities for students of a diverse set of socioeconomic backgrounds and ethnicities. She has been deeply involved in providing an excellent education in the liberal arts.

Her administrative roles have included experience in curricular development, assessment, budgeting, human resource management, external fundraising/advancement, as well as strategic and operational planning, While in Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, Kosso oversaw the offices of Assessment and Marketing, Training and Professional Development, Development and the Parent Leadership Council, EMSA/Academic Partnerships, particularly the College-based Learning communities program. She also provided leadership for the offices of Educational Support Programs, Student Learning Centers, Inclusion and Multicultural Student Center, Native American Student Services, Student Life and Strategic Planning.

Her professional interests are interdisciplinary in nature—from the translation of ancient languages and the study of innovation in ancient and medieval societies, to public and economic history as reflected in material evidence. She authored The Archaeology of Public Policy in Late Roman Greece, BAR International Series, 2003 and numerous articles and book chapters. Along with Dr. Anne Scott, she has edited three collections of essays: Fear and its Representations in the Middle Ages and Renaissance (Brepols, 2002); The Nature and Function of Water, Baths, Bathing, and Hygiene from Antiquity through the Renaissance (Brill, 2009); and Poverty and Prosperity in the Middle Ages and Renaissance (Brepols, 2012) and with Marie Jackson, et al., “Geological Observations of Excavated Sand (harena fossiciae) used as Fine Aggregate in Ancient Roman Pozzolanic Mortars,” Journal of Roman Archaeology December 2007. She currently serves as the editor of Studies in Medieval and Renaissance History. Kosso taught for twenty-three years at Northern Arizona University, and continued to maintain a classroom presence even in her administrative roles.

Gordon Weil will retire after eight years of service to Moravian College and 40 years in education. Weil was instrumental in the conception of the first year seminar and the development of the In Focus thematic programming schedule. He was dedicated to maintaining a high standard of academic offerings amidst a difficult time for higher education, as well as bridging the gap between the faculty and the administration. “I am most proud of being a part of such a dedicated and talented faculty,” says Weil, flashing his signature smile. “I am proud of the ones I’ve hired, mentored, and tenured, and I look forward to seeing what this great faculty will accomplish under the deserving Dr. Kosso.”

Moravian College is a private coeducational liberal arts college, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Tracing its founding to 1742, Moravian is recognized as America's sixth-oldest college and the first to educate young women. The College emphasizes the deliberate integration of a broad-based liberal arts curriculum with hands-on learning experiences to prepare its 1,600 students, not just for jobs, but for successful careers. Moravian College excels at transforming good students into highly competent graduates who are ready to enter the workplace with confidence or shine in graduate school. Visit the Web site at www.moravian.edu.