Brandon Hawk News Today

On June 19, 2023, RIC Professor of History Quenby Olmsted Hughes ’95 will begin her new role as Rhode Island College’s seventh dean of the Division of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and the first woman to serve in this role. FAS is the largest division ​on campus, with 16 departments and 10 programs across the arts, humanities, sciences and social sciences. As a history major and professor of history, Hughes is a product of the FAS division.

“Students want to believe us when we assure them that they can do anything with a humanities degree, but it can still be hard for them to take the leap of faith,” says Professor Alison Shonkwiler, chair of the Department of English. “This is especially true for first-generation students or students who are expected to start earning money right away after graduation to support their families – which describes many RIC students,” she says.