A nationwide search for the dean of the Graduate College of Social Work (GCSW) has produced a sole finalist. Award-winning scholar, teacher and academic leader Yarneccia D. Dyson will step into GCSW’s dean’s role on June 1, where she will also hold the Maconda Brown O’Connor Endowed Dean’s Chair.
Dyson comes to UH from North Carolina State University, where she serves as executive director and head of the School of Social Work. Prior to this role, Dyson was a faculty member and held administrative positions at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Benedict College. At James Madison University, she held the role of visiting scholar. Additionally, she served as a member of the graduate faculty at the University of Alabama.
“Dr. Dyson has an impressive academic background and will bring new energy to UH’s Graduate College of Social Work,” said UH Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Diane Z. Chase. “She is an accomplished researcher with proven leadership abilities. I am confident that she will work well with our faculty and students to enhance the GCSW’s standing as a premier college for aspiring social work practitioners.”
Dyson describes herself as an adaptable leader who embraces three distinct leadership styles: transformational leadership, collaborative leadership and servant leadership.
“As a leader, I am committed to inspiring and motivating teams towards a shared vision, building trust and engagement, as well as fostering supportive environments that center well-being and belonging,” she said. “I believe in co-creating change with faculty, staff, students, and community partners—centering transparency, mutual respect, psychological safety, and accountability.”
As a scholar, Dyson’s research has appeared in the Journal of Social Work Education, Social Work in Public Health, Journal of American College Health, Affilia - Journal of Women and Social Work, and others.
In her new role as dean, she plans to work alongside the GCSW faculty, staff, students, alumni and external partners. Dyson is optimistic that such collaborations will advance the college’s scholarly output and produce professionals ready to serve their communities.
“I am especially committed to contributing to the expansion of a diverse and dynamic social work workforce—graduating practitioners, researchers, scholars, healers, and leaders who are well-equipped to address complex societal challenges with creativity, compassion, and innovation,” she said.
Dyson holds a Ph.D. in Social Work Policy, Planning, and Administration & Social Science from Clark Atlanta University’s Whitney M. Young, Jr. School of Social Work, a Master of Social Work from The Florida State University, and a Bachelor of Social Work from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.
She is now ready to apply all that she learned as a social-behavioral scientist, a scholar and an academic leader to her new role at UH. The University, she said, is well-positioned for even further success and that’s a key factor in her coming to Houston.
“UH is a campus of promise, rising and soaring towards of goal of being a Top 50 University,” she said. “The commitment to academic excellence, research innovation, student success and community engagement—coupled with the spirit of innovation and opportunity—sparked my interest. This is a dynamic place to envision new ideas and support a strong Graduate College of Social Work in contributing to these commitments in meaningful ways that will impact society.”