Effective July 1, the University of Dallas named a new dean of the Constantin College of Liberal Arts: Dr. Philip Harold.
After working as a professor, interim dean and co-director of the honors program at Robert Morris University in Pennsylvania since 2005, Harold couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work at UD.
Harold said: “UD is a really special place. I loved Pennsylvania; I had a nice thing going on, but the University of Dallas — it’s just such a special institution, you can’t pass that up.”
Harold moved to Dallas with his wife and seven kids. The move was even harder than expected when the caravan was stalled for many reasons.
Harold said, “We didn’t have to go looking for more adventure: 1,200 miles, three days turning into four days. [The] very first thing that happened was the truck broke down, [we] couldn’t fix it so we had to move everything onto a new truck. So there were storms, there were hold-ups, but it was an adventure.”
“Made it in one piece, which is all I was praying for,” Harold said.
As the dean, Harold has many different jobs to perform every day. Because the college contains many different majors, he works with all the department chairs and helps them run smoothly.
Harold explained, “There’s a number of things you have to do administratively: have to run curriculum committee tonight, have to work with the department chairs to get the schedule for the next semester, so there’s a lot in the role that’s just routine that you have to do.”
Though it is a tough job, Harold enjoys working hard with all the professors and helping them achieve a common goal.
He said, “It’s actually a team effort, professors working together to accomplish those goals, and it requires leadership and administrative support to make that happen. So I’ve come to love that aspect.”
Harold did not start as a dean, but as a professor of political science. His love for the subject started from a young age and he carried it on through his education and career.
“Growing up I was always interested in politics,” he said. “While I got older, every night watching Crossfire, watching political programming, so I was always interested in it.”
His love for learning as well as teaching has never ceased. One of the things that drew him to UD was the intellectual community in which he could flourish with people that love to learn.
“The level of intellectual community of the faculty. The level of the students. The approach to education as educating the whole person is something that I’ve always been interested in doing anywhere I was. Piecemeal here and there, but coming here you’re able to take part where it’s all happening, where it kind of is clicking on all different levels,” he said.
Undergraduate student John Kheriaty just started his junior year and is loving the new atmosphere surrounding the mall and the community it’s creating.
He said, “The activities that the school has put on have increased tremendously this year. The community involved reminds me of how freshman year felt before COVID started.”
Apart from helping students be successful, Harold is also hopeful about the growth of the summer Rome Program and has high hopes for its success.
He said, “With the large incoming class there’s opportunity in the summer Rome program; a full robust semester of experiences.”
