Fairfield University announces the appointment of David Sapp , Professor of English, as Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs . In this new role, Dr. Sapp will lead campus initiatives on Core Pathways, first-year cornerstone courses, senior capstone experiences and internships, community engagement and institutional partnerships, faculty advising, and other projects central to the University's mission.

"A person of high ethical standards and true magnanimity, Dr. Sapp has a passion for Jesuit education and will contribute greatly to Fairfield University's most important initiatives and priorities going forward," said Fr. Paul Fitzgerald, Fairfield University Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, "including diversity and inclusive excellence, ethics, sustainability, compassion, and intellectual rigor."

Dr. David Sapp came to Fairfield University in 2001 from New Mexico State University, where he earned his Ph.D. in rhetoric and professional communication. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2005 and to Professor in 2010. During his 11 years at Fairfield, Dr. Sapp has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in business writing, grant and proposal writing, science writing, technical writing, and first-year composition. Many of these courses have included community-based components, high-impact learning opportunities, and collaboration with faculty colleagues across campus. His cornerstone course on "Baseball and Argumentation" (developed in 2006 with Dr. Matt Coleman, Department of Mathematics, and revised and taught several times with other colleagues) has been a particularly popular Core offering.

Dr. Sapp, a resident of Fairfield, CT, is a workplace-writing specialist whose research involves intersections of business communication, social justice, and community engagement. His published research is widely cited; one of his articles on technical communication and service learning was recently identified as seminal in the field. Dr. Sapp currently serves as associate editor for the Journal of Rhetoric, Professional Communication, and Globalization , and has served for three years on the program committee for the Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication. In 2010, Dr. Sapp won a top research award from the Association for Business Communication for a journal article he published in Business Communication Quarterly (with co-author Dr. Qin Zhang, Department of Communication) on the assessment of undergraduate student internships.

Dr. Sapp has served in several administrative roles in the Fairfield University English Department including director of writing programs, coordinator of the professional writing program, internship director, and interim writing center director. As faculty chair of the Service Learning Advisory Council for the Office of Service Learning in the Center for Faith and Public Life, Dr. Sapp has worked closely with Ms. Melissa Quan (Director of Service Learning) to support faculty across campus with professional development opportunities to advance their interests in community-based teaching and research. Dr. Sapp has also been involved in the development of graduate programs including the new Masters in Public Administration.

Dr. Sapp will begin work as Associate VP for Academic Affairs in January 2013, replacing Dr. Elizabeth Boquet who will return to the faculty following five years of highly successful leadership in administration as Associate VP for Academic Affairs, Dean of Academic Engagement, and Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Posted On: 12-10-2012 11:12 AM

Volume: 45 Number: 129