June 4, 2024

Dear Colleagues:

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Carolyn Lawrence-Dill as the new Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences with administrative responsibilities for both the college and the Agricultural Experiment Station. Dr. Lawrence-Dill will be joining CSU from Iowa State University where she currently serves as the Associate Dean for Research and Discovery for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Associate Director of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, and Professor of Agronomy and Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology. Her new role at CSU is effective August 1.

Dr. Lawrence-Dill is an accomplished plant scientist and visionary leader with life-long roots in production agriculture and an abiding commitment to the land-grant mission. She has an impressive record of accomplishments in advocating for the transformative power of agricultural research and education, building and enhancing collaboration across disciplines, working with diverse stakeholder groups, and attracting and retaining world-class talent. In her leadership roles at ISU, she spearheaded successful initiatives to cultivate a culture of transparency, data-driven decision-making, and collaborative team science.

Dr. Lawrence-Dill is well-experienced with convening, incentivizing and mobilizing faculty to develop practical solutions to industry needs. Through the establishment of ISU’s Office of Research and Discovery, she facilitated strategic partnerships, restructured and streamlined program management, and led the development and implementation of the college’s strategic plan for the next decade. During her tenure in this role, external research funding for the college grew by 9% annually.

CSU is committed to maintaining and strengthening ties with the rural communities we serve, and Dr. Lawrence-Dill has already set a top priority of quickly getting to know Colorado’s agricultural leaders, working to build relationships of trust and collaboration with all industry sectors. With an eye toward serving Colorado’s diverse needs, she plans to work with faculty to expand educational opportunities to address local, statewide, global and societal challenges. Additionally, Dr. Lawrence-Dill plans to work proactively to strengthen partnerships with industry as well as the federal and state government with the goal of boosting support and resources for agricultural research and education.

Dr. Lawrence-Dill came to us through the process of an exceptionally well-managed national search led by Deans A. Alonso Aguirre of the Warner College of Natural Resources and Sue VandeWoude of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, who served as search committee co-chairs. I want to thank them, and the other search committee members who were dedicated to helping us find the most qualified internal and external candidates across our institution and the nation. This was a highly-engaged search process that included CSU faculty, staff, students, stakeholders and industry representatives. Four industry representatives served as part of the search committee.

I also want to share my gratitude for Dr. James Pritchett, Vice President for Engagement and Extension. James has continued to serve as CAS Dean after assuming his new Vice President role in January, and he will remain Dean until Dr. Lawrence-Dill takes over in August. The ability to simultaneously fulfill the complex responsibilities of two executive leadership positions requires an extraordinary amount of expertise and focused energy. James did this effectively and masterfully every step of the way.

I am excited to see the great things Dr. Lawrence-Dill will achieve in her role as Dean of CAS. She brings a remarkable breadth and depth of leadership experience and understanding of the agricultural culture and industry. Please join me in welcoming her to our university, and supporting her success.

Marion K. Underwood
Provost and Executive Vice President