Seton Hall U. appoints dean of School of Diplomacy and International Relations

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Seton Hall University has announced that Courtney B. Smith, acting dean of the School of Diplomacy and International Relations, has been appointed to the role of dean. To foster collaboration among the university’s school and colleges — a key priority of “Harvest Our Treasures,” the university’s strategic plan — Smith also will serve as vice dean of Seton Hall Law, where he will assist with budget management and related matters. 

“Dean Smith is a strategic leader with a sterling reputation among colleagues here and in the global diplomacy community,” SHU Provost and Executive Vice President Katia Passerini said. “He has displayed exceptional devotion to the school and university over the past 23 years, including an ongoing commitment to empowering students to help build the school together. I am confident his vision for the school and tireless work ethic will advance diplomacy and international relations at Seton Hall to new heights.”

“Dean Smith shepherded the school and university through several transitions,” SHU board of advisors Chairperson Richard Gannon ’91 said. “His steady leadership is greatly appreciated. The school’s momentum has continued to rise during this interim period, thanks to Dean Smith’s leadership. Not to mention, he has guided the school successfully through the pandemic. I look forward to working closely with him, as I have done for many years, to continue the school’s forward progress.” 

One of the School of Diplomacy’s founding faculty members, Smith began his academic career in 1999. He earned tenure and was promoted to associate professor in 2005. That year, he was appointed associate dean and subsequently became senior associate dean in 2014. He managed many aspects of the school’s operations, from student recruitment to budget management, and agreed to serve as acting dean in August 2019. He has worked with the school’s faculty and administrators on several key initiatives, including the World Leaders Forum and partnership with the United Nations Association. 

Since he assumed the role of acting dean, the school has launched a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Coalition comprising 45 students, alumni, faculty members and administrators. The coalition developed three new graduate and undergraduate courses on race, gender and religion in international affairs, and launched the Black Diplomacy Student Organization. 

Additionally, the school is developing new collaborative programs with international partners, including an online midcareer graduate degree focused on international affairs and diplomatic practice with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research. Other programs include a combined Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts program that joins an undergraduate degree from Seton Hall with a graduate degree from the Graduate Institute in Geneva. 

Also during his tenure as acting dean, the school diversified its board of advisors with new members, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Leymah Gbowee. It launched an ambitious fundraising plan anchored by a new Diplomacy Campaign Committee whose members have pledged personal gifts and opened their networks to build further support for the school’s programs and initiatives. 

“I feel very fortunate to be offered the opportunity to serve as dean of the School of Diplomacy,” Smith said. “From the moment I arrived at Seton Hall in 1999, I have found the Diplomacy community to be a special place. We have always been blessed with student leaders who have played a key role in building our school, guided by an accomplished and dedicated team of faculty and administrators, and supported by a strong network of alumni, board members and other friends of the school. We have done great things together, and I am excited to continue our work preparing students for meaningful careers in a challenging international environment.”

  Seton Hall University