Senior Administrators

Dean of Students

Victor J. Arcelus joined Connecticut College in July 2013. He is charged with enhancing and extending the personal and intellectual development of the College's diverse student body. A specialist in holistic learning, Arcelus oversees residential life, student engagement, athletics, campus safety, student counseling services, student health services, student wellness and health promotion, and the College’s student conduct process.

varcelus@conncoll.edu Phone: (860) 439-2825 College Center at Crozier-Williams, Room 218

Dean of Students

Vice President for Marketing and Communications

As vice president for Marketing and Communications, John Cramer provides strategic leadership and counsel in the areas of communications, marketing, branding, crisis management and outreach. His team is responsible for admission, advancement and athletics communications, digital marketing, news and editorial, creative services, media relations, social media, video, photography, web services and public affairs. 

jcramer@conncoll.edu Phone: (860) 439-2393 Becker House

Vice President for Marketing and Communications

Interim Vice President for College Advancement

Susan leads all strategic and creative aspects of the College’s multi-faceted fundraising and alumni and parent engagement efforts. Under Susan’s direction, the 35-person advancement team drives leadership gifts; gift planning; corporate, foundation, and government relations; alumni and parent engagement; the Camel Athletics Network; annual giving; donor relations; and advancement services.

sdaniells@conncoll.edu Phone: (860) 439-5395 Becker House

Vice President for College Advancement

VP for Strategic Initiatives and Special Advisor to the President, Professor of Chinese

A scholar of modern Chinese literature, Amy Dooling has published books on 20th century women’s writing and feminist literary culture. As Associate Dean of Global Initiatives, Dooling works with offices and individuals across campus to coordinate the College’s global education efforts.

addoo@conncoll.edu Phone: (860) 439-2583

Faculty Profile

Dean of the Faculty , Fuller-Maathai Professor of Gender, Sexuality and Intersectionality Studies

R. Danielle Egan, the Fuller-Maathai Professor of Gender, Sexuality and Intersectionality Studies at Connecticut College, is Dean of the Faculty and Chief Academic Officer. The highest-ranking officer after the president, the Dean of the Faculty is responsible for providing academic leadership for the College and its faculty.

regan1@conncoll.edu Phone: (860) 439-2030

Faculty Profile Dean of the Faculty

Vice President for Information Services and Librarian of the College

Matt Gardzina joined Connecticut College as vice president for Information Services and librarian of the College in August 2023. He is the chief information officer and leads both the libraries and Information Technology of the College, including traditional library services, administrative computing, telecommunications, networks, desktop computer support, digital scholarship, special collections and archives, instructional technology and data security.

Gardzina most recently served as chief information officer at Columbus College of Art & Design, where he oversaw the library and information technology division. He previously held leadership positions at Bucknell University and The College of Wooster, and served in IT roles at Washington & Jefferson College in Pennsylvania and Duke University in North Carolina.

mgardzina@conncoll.edu

Dean of the College

Dr. Erika J. Smith joined Connecticut College as Dean of the College in August 2021. She was immediately drawn by Connections, which she sees as the perfect way for all students to have their own expression of success, driving their lives, aspirations and goals further than they knew to aspire. With oversight of the Class Deans, the Academic Resource Center, the Hale Center for Career Development, Study Away, and jointly supporting Fellowships and Scholarships in partnership with the Walter Commons, Dean Smith supports the realization of an integrated and engaged student experience. 

Prior to joining Connecticut College, Dean Smith completed nearly 21 years of service at Brandeis University, most recently having served as Dean of Academic Services from 2016 to 2021. Dr. Smith earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Lehigh University, where she matriculated as a Posse Scholar, a master of education in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a master’s and Ph.D. in Social Policy from Brandeis’ Heller School for Social Policy and Management.

esmith25@conncoll.edu Phone: (860) 439-2050 Fanning Hall 206

Dean of the College

Dean of Admission and Financial Aid

Andrew Strickler, dean of admission and financial aid, joined Connecticut College in June 2015. He is responsible for determining the overall strategy for recruiting, admitting, matriculating and supporting a diverse and highly selective student body. He manages a staff dedicated not only to attracting the best students, but also to supporting their full demonstrated financial need. He works collaboratively with colleagues across campus — in the offices of the dean of the college, the dean of the faculty, the dean of student life, the vice president for communications and the vice president for finance — to realize these goals, and to ensure that students at Connecticut College have the best possible experience from inquiry to acceptance to matriculation and beyond.

astrickl@conncoll.edu Phone: (860) 439-2200 Horizon House

Dean of Admission & Financial Aid

Vice President for Finance & Administration

As vice president for Finance and Administration, Christina Williams oversees key financial and administrative strategies and functions and collaborates campuswide with academic leadership to drive strategic projects, improve processes and enhance operational efficiency. She is an experienced leader in finance, business operations and international program management within higher education and the non-profit sector. Prior to joining Conn, she held senior finance and administration roles at Boston College and MIT. She earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in business administration, both from Northeastern University.

cwilliam2@conncoll.edu

Office of Finance and Administration