This semester the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences hired its first female dean. Dr. Kimberlee Kidwell is known as a national scholar, as well as an award-winning teacher and administrator.

Kidwell said in an email that she is honored to be selected to be the dean of the College of ACES and serving as the first woman in the role made it that much more special.

“I am truly grateful to the many talented people who came before me who paved the way for women to be successful leaders in academia,” Kidwell said.

Dr. Steven C. Loerch, a professor and head of the Department of Animal Sciences said ACES is fortunate to have Kidwell as the dean, especially compared to other candidates.

“She has a clear vision of the mission of ACES and does an exceptional job articulating what we do and why it’s important,” Loerch said.

Historically, ACES was predominantly dominated by male faculty and student, Loerch said. Forty years ago, college undergraduate students were predominately male. Now, 83 percent of students are female, he said. ACES also has two female department heads.

“It was inevitable that we would find a female Dean,” Loerch said. “I’m glad that the most qualified candidate is female.”

Kidwell graduated from the University of Illinois in 1986 from ACES. She then attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she received her master’s and Ph.D. degrees in plant breeding and plant genetics.

Before becoming dean, Kidwell served as an executive associate dean at Washington State University. Kidwell is known to be an exemplary wheat breeder and geneticist with patented discoveries and more than 20 released wheat varieties.

Her record of scholarship as a scientist and teacher, her leadership experience, and her communication skills attest to why she got hired,” Loerch said. He credited her with a dynamic personality inspiring people to excel.

“She is smart, insightful, confident, and charismatic,” he said. “She builds trusting, caring relationships.”

At the College of ACES, Kidwell will collaborate with faculty, researchers, various agencies, and staff to provide academic programs, such as career development skills for ACES graduates, and improving the lives of Illinois students through research. She will also represent the college by sharing with other people about the college’s mission and goals.

There are only a handful of female deans at “land-grant” universities, such as Illinois. Kidwell did not know that she would be the first female dean in ACES.

She has enjoyed her experience so far on campus and looks forward to working with the college’s people of “caliber.”

“As I engage with people, I can feel the excitement building,” Kidwell said. “I look forward to creating the next era of excellence in the college with the ACES community.”

Students on campus were glad to hear that the College of ACES has finally recruited a female dean. Ashley Garcia, freshman in DGS hoping to transfer to the College of ACES, is one of them.

“I think it’s exciting that the College of ACES finally got a female dean, because gender representation on campus is important,” Garcia said. “I do believe she will be just as great as the male deans there.”

Kidwell is hoping that her appointment will be a powerful message going forward regarding opportunities for a more diverse staff and student body.

“We should strive to create a culturally diverse workforce within the college that appreciate and respect different perspectives, and is committed to synergistically striving for excellence together,” she said.

By doing so, Kidwell believes the best students will be attracted to the University.

“A culture like that will draw the most talented individuals to us that believe what we believe, which is that we transform lives through our research, teaching, and extension efforts,” she said.

[email protected]