Lori Bergen resigns as College of Communication dean

Andrew Dawson • April 8, 2015

Photo via marquette.edu

Lori Bergen, dean of the College of Communication, resigned Wednesday to become dean of the new College of Media, Communication and Information at the University of Colorado–Boulder.

“I’m excited, honored and humbled by the confidence that the University of Colorado leadership and faculty have placed in me,” Bergen said in an email. “At the same time, I’m going to miss the wonderful students, alumni, donors and friends I met at Marquette.”

She was announced as a finalist for the Colorado position in January. At the time, Bergen said she was “a long way from leaving Marquette.” However, her mind changed throughout the next months.

“In January, it was the very early stage of the search process,” Bergen said in an email. “As the process unfolded, I met with the chancellor, provost and faculty and was increasingly impressed by them. Over the course of the discussions, it became clear to me that this was an opportunity where my skills, passion and experience aligned perfectly with their goals, aspiration and vision.”

Bergen beat out four other finalists for the position.

“We really appreciate Lori’s leadership and innovation in driving a new model of communication that has focused heavily on experiential learning,” said Margaret Callahan, interim provost and dean of the College of Nursing, in a university-wide email.

Bergen will remain at Marquette until the end of June. An interim dean has not been selected but will be chosen by the end of the semester.

“I am excited by the chance to lead this new college – a distinctive, innovative and entrepreneurial enterprise where students will engage with world-class faculty to learn, create and analyze media content in all its many forms,” Bergen said in a Colorado-Boulder news release. “The college will establish a new standard for teaching and scholarship in communication, media and information, and I’m looking forward to being a part of that.”

Bergen spearheaded the O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism and the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, and received over $20 million in support for student scholarships and other initiatives. She also received the 2014 Scripps Howard Foundation’s Journalism and Mass Communication Administrator of the Year Award, which honors the best work in the communications industry and journalism education. In addition, Bergen said she was recently accepted for membership in the Arthur W. Page Society.

“I’m proud that I leave the Diederich College of Communication in a better condition than when I arrived in 2009,” Bergen said in an email. “The next dean will have a great foundation and tremendous momentum on which to build.”

Bergen became dean of the college in 2009, filling in a spot left vacant by John Pauly who then moved up to be provost.

“My thanks to each of you who have provided friendship and support over the past six years,” Bergen said in an email to staff and faculty of the college. “It has been a wonderful experience to work with so many fine students, alumni, donors, colleagues and friends at Marquette, and I am proud of the many accomplishments and successes we have achieved.”

This story was updated April 8 at 9:20 p.m.

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