Wells named dean of College of Arts & Sciences

August 16, 2013 | 1 Comment

BUIES CREEK – Michael Wells, the Edna Queener Proffit Chair of Chemistry at Campbell University, has been named dean of Campbell’s College of Arts & Sciences, effective Sept. 1, the university announced Friday.

“Dr. Michael Wells has worked tirelessly to advance arts and sciences at Campbell University,” Campbell President Jerry Wallace said. “As chair of Campbell's chemistry department, Dr. Wells added impressive academic credentials and an ability to mentor and develop our student body. His years of experience as an academic and administrator will transfer well to his new role as dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. He will be an outstanding addition to our team of highly qualified academic leaders.”

Wells said: “It’s a huge honor to serve as dean. I would not be telling the truth if I said that I was not a little scared right now. However, as September draws near, I have begun to embrace the post and look forward to the challenges ahead.”

Wells will succeed Mark Hammond, who will become the provost and vice president of academic affairs at Campbell on Sept. 1. Hammond will replace Dwaine Greene, who begins his tenure as president of Georgetown College on Oct. 21.

“Dr. Hammond has done a superb job as dean for the last 12 years,” Wells said. “I have some really big shoes to fill. His legacy will be hard to match. Fortunately, Dr. Hammond will continue to be a mentor in his new position as provost.”

Wells joined Campbell in 1996 as an adjunct professor of chemistry. He became an assistant professor in 1997, and was promoted to associate professor in 2002. He became chair of the Department of Chemistry and Physics in 2007, and a year later was named the Edna Queener Proffit Chair of Chemistry.

During his 17 years at Campbell, he has taught courses in general chemistry, organic chemistry and inorganic chemistry. In addition, he has been a member of the College of Arts & Sciences’ Advisory Board and has chaired the Faculty Evaluation Committee, the Faculty Senate and the Steering Committee for the Presidential Inauguration. He has also served on numerous committees, including the Quality Enhancement Program Leadership, Retention, Safety, Football Consultation, Faculty Research and Faculty Senate’s Online Education committees.

“As President Wallace has said, Campbell must continue to offer programs that meet the needs of changing times,” Wells said. “My goal is to help identify those needs and establish new programs, or modify existing programs, that will meet those needs.”

As dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, Wells will oversee Campbell’s oldest and largest school. The college provides the general education component of the liberal arts education to all of the university’s undergraduate programs, and offers more than 50 academic majors, minor, concentrations and tracks that prepare undergraduates for numerous professions. Its offerings include North Carolina’s first Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security, a pre-professional biology program that prepares students for a wide-range of graduate and professional studies, and several pre-law track options. The college is also home to the Honors Program, the Study Abroad Program and the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Program.

“The atmosphere at Campbell is special,” Wells said. “I will be working with a great group of department chairs, faculty and administration.”

Wells received his Ph.D. in organometallic chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1996 and completed his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry/Computer Science degree at East Carolina University, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1992 and was named the Outstanding Senior in Chemistry.

A Harnett County native, he was born in Dunn, N.C., to Bobby and Jo Ann Wells. He’s married to the former Sarah Lanier of Erwin, N.C. They have three sons: Jacob, Thomas and Paul.

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