Published Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Nienhuis Announces Departure 
Dean of Students Becomes 2nd Key Administrator to Leave This Spring
By Michael Lisman
APPIAN STAFF WRITER

Nancy Nienhuis, Director of the Office of Student Affairs (OSA), announced last week that she is leaving the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) in order to become Dean of Students and Community Life at the Andover Newton Theological School, in Andover, MA.

Dean Ellen Condliffe Lagemann described Nienhuis's strong legacy in an e-mailed announcement to the HGSE community. 

“Nancy will be remembered,” Lagemann wrote, “for many things at the Ed School--her tireless support of the students, her commitment to strengthening the GSE community in all dimensions, her leadership of the Community Trust and in all issues relating to diversity, and last but not least her sense of humor and fun.”

The position at the Andover Newton Theological School will give Nienhuis the opportunity to exercise her strong background in the study of religion.  Nienhuis worked and taught at the Harvard Divinity School, and she received a doctoral degree in theology after authoring a dissertation titled, "Neighbors and Other Strangers: Poor Women, Critical Feminist Liberation Theology, and Welfare Reform Rhetoric."

As director of OSA, a position she will vacate after Commencement ceremonies in June, Nienhuis worked closely with HGSE’s student groups and the Student Government Association (SGA), as well with the administration and the Dean’s office.

Lagemann announced her own imminent departure earlier this spring, opening up two important administrative positions at HGSE, both of which have important and direct impacts on student and academic life at HGSE.

 “[Nienhuis] and all the people in the OSA definitely play a crucial rule in helping SGA organize many of the SGA events this year, which range from academics, diversity, finance, communication, athletics, to social events,” noted Cheng Zhu, a doctoral student and President of the SGA.

The OSA has made clear that students at HGSE will have the opportunity to weigh-in on the hiring of Nienhuis’ successor, though plans are still underway as to when and how the search process will be conducted.

According to students who have worked with her, however,  Nienhuis' shoes will be hard to fill.

“Nancy was always there for the students and was easy to work with, which really facilitated the work that we do,” noted Patrick Purcell, an Ed.M. candidate and an outgoing SGA representative.

Zhu added that “it wouldn’t be rare for me to call Nancy’s voicemail after hours expecting to hear the machine and, to my surprise, she would be there.”

Other students agreed that Nienhuis’ position should ultimately be filled by someone committed to student issues and improving the student experience at HGSE, two points for which she is well known.

For her part, Nienhuis told The Appian that she will miss both her position at OSA and the students she interacted with on a daily basis. 

“You (all) have a depth of compassion and commitment that is rare today,” she noted. “I have felt so honored to work with you and support you as you endeavor to reach your professional goals. I've learned much about the field of education, and despite the huge problems education faces, I feel the future cannot be lost with the kind of people I've met here who are so dedicated to its success.”

Michael Lisman is an Ed.M. candidate in the International Education Policy Program, and a member of the Appian Board of Editors.