{"id":12625,"date":"2026-09-01T12:03:53","date_gmt":"2026-09-01T16:03:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/?p=12625"},"modified":"2026-09-01T12:04:14","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T16:04:14","slug":"a-dean-with-a-mission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/2026\/09\/01\/a-dean-with-a-mission\/","title":{"rendered":"A Dean with A Mission"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Delana Schartner Charts a New Course for Georgia Southern\u2019s Latest College<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Delana Schartner, Ph.D., the founding dean of Georgia Southern University\u2019s newest college, is excited about her new role. A former chemistry professor, she explained her love for academia started when she was a child, \u201cplaying school\u201d with friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTeaching was my first love,\u201d she said, \u201cand chemistry was my second. Nothing beats seeing a student figure out their unknown or solve a complex analytical problem for the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In the 26 years since she joined Armstrong State University as a visiting faculty member, Schartner has taken on several leadership roles. She served as associate provost for student engagement and success, then dean of the College of Science and Technology at Armstrong. In 2018, she became dean of the College of Science and Mathematics at Georgia Southern, and most recently, served as assistant provost and vice president for Academic Policy and Initiatives, where she continues to devote a portion of her time. These experiences, Schartner explained, prepared her for the new position as dean of University College, which was created following the consolidation with East Georgia State College.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt has been an incredible journey from the classroom to the lab to various administrative roles,\u201d Schartner stated. \u201cUniversity College’s mission is to expand access, accelerate student success and connect educational experiences to careers, communities and lives with meaning. That vision resonates deeply with everything I have worked toward throughout my career.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The College serves as the academic home for students in associate degree programs, interdisciplinary bachelor’s degrees, dual enrollment, ROTC, continuing and professional education, and a variety of other academic programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUniversity College needs to deliver on the promise of seamless, stackable pathways from non-credit learning into associate, bachelor’s and graduate programs, and that is my primary goal,\u201d she explained. “My job is to make that vision real and tangible for every student who walks through our doors, whether physically or virtually. I also want to grow our fundraising capacity so we can offer more scholarships and wrap-around support for students who are balancing jobs, families and coursework all at once.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schartner\u2019s days are largely filled with meetings and strategic planning; she enjoys tackling the challenges that come with her role as dean of University College.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI love that there are so many different areas that need focus and attention \u2014 I can accomplish 50 different things for 50 different people or situations in a day, and that diversity of activity keeps me going,\u201d she said. \u201cIt is also the challenge. Being pulled in many directions can wear on you if you don’t have an outlet or can’t get something solved. But honestly, the days when a student’s path gets a little clearer because of something we figured out together \u2014 those are the best days.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a day of \u201cknitting together” various academic programs, the dean finds balance in a surprising mix of hobbies that include boating, camping, a spot in a band and playing with her 13-year-old cocker spaniel named LC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Sandra Bennett<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Delana Schartner Charts a New Course for Georgia Southern\u2019s Latest College Delana Schartner, Ph.D., the founding dean of Georgia Southern University\u2019s newest college, is excited about her new role. A former chemistry professor, she explained her love for academia started when she was a child, \u201cplaying school\u201d with friends. \u201cTeaching was my first love,\u201d she […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":12627,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[93],"class_list":["post-12625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-summer-2026"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t