May 26, 2022
Higher ed veteran to lead SIU Global
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Susan Wegmann, associate dean of digital learning and innovation at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, will be the new executive director of SIU Global Campus at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, effective July 1.
SIU Global Campus, formerly SIU Extended Campus, provides quality academic programs and courses that are offered online, blended (hybrid) and face-to-face at several off campus and military installations across the nation. The unit supports SIU’s strategic plan, Imagine 2030, by providing accessible, affordable educational opportunities for students unable to attend the main campus, said Meera Komarraju, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.
“Dr. Wegmann has significant experience with program creation, accreditation, technology and management, and she communicated a clear vision for SIU Global Campus,” Komarraju said. “She highlighted the creation and use of virtual reality to enhance the online learning environment.”
Wegmann said SIU values distance learning and appreciates the potential it holds for both the university and its students as higher education evolves.
“SIU is poised to make some amazing leaps in distance learning, both online and in campuses around Illinois and the country,” she said. “I am excited about the possibilities of immersive learning environments, as well as best practices designed for learner success.”
University officials also commended the search committee for doing an excellent job securing qualified candidates for final selection.
Wegmann earned her doctorate in curriculum and instruction in 2001 at the University of Florida. She earned her Master of Arts degree in the same subject in 1996 at the University of Mississippi and her Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education in 1985 at the University of South Florida.
After earning her teaching degree, she taught grades 3 through 8 at schools in Florida, Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi for 12 years before returning to college to earn advanced degrees. She started her career in higher education in 2001 and held faculty positions at Appalachian State University and Sam Houston State University. As a faculty member at University of Central Florida, she served as director of Programs and Research for the Morgridge International Reading Center, as a co-primary investigator for the Florida Literacy and Reading Excellence (FLaRE) grant and as membership committee chair and east central director for colleges and universities for the Florida Association of Teacher Educators. She also served as the university’s faculty-in-residence at Okeechobee High School.
From 2012 to 2018, Wegmann served as a professor at Baptist College of Florida before moving to her current position at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas.
Wegmann said she plans to build on the strong distance learning foundation SIU has built and plans to interview and engage SIU students, faculty colleagues and administrators in order to create an innovative strategic plan for SIU Global, which will align with Imagine 2030.
“After meeting the amazing leadership at SIU and the SIU Global Campus team members, I was impressed by the energy and optimism for growth and online learning,” she said. “Student learning is key, so I plan to host a series of learning opportunities and collaborative discussions about distance and online learning among campus stakeholders with a focus on student success and learning.”