Increasing student engagement will be one of Dr. Dawn Owens’ key objectives in her new role as Associate Dean of undergraduate programs at the Naveen Jindal School of Management. She was recently promoted to the position after serving as assistant dean, program director, and a clinical associate professor in the Information Systems Area.
Taking an active role in academics, participating in organizations and activities on campus as well as being involved in civic activities and service are all components of strong student engagement, Owens said. She wants to ensure that students take advantage of those types of opportunities available to them.
“Student engagement is important and it is something that I am passionate about,” she said. “I want students to feel that the Jindal School is their home away from home.”
Building relationships with program directors while ensuring that the programs have the support they need is also on Owens’ list of objectives. In addition, she plans to work to increase the visibility of the program.
“We are doing so many good things, we have many events planned for fall, including volunteer events where our students help with a local food bank,” she said. “Also, our UTDsolv Program, which supports the Capstone Senior Project class, partners with industries to work on projects, thus increasing the visibility of our program and our students. It really is a partnership with students, staff, businesses, and nonprofits. Building those relationships is very important.”
After receiving her BS in Management Information Systems from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1994, Owens went on to get an MS degree in 1999 and received a PhD in Information Technology from the same university in 2012. She worked in technology for 13 years before turning to teaching full-time.
At JSOM, she has taught various classes in technology. She also was program director of the BS in Information Technology Systems (ITS) and the BS in Business Analytics STEM programs and created the ITS Academy, which hosts events for prospective ITS students, specifically middle and high school. She also was instrumental in implementing the UT Dallas student chapter of Association for Information Systems, Women in Technology and Business and Women in Technology International student organizations at the Jindal School for undergraduate ITS students.
“I have worn many hats and it has given me an understanding of different perspectives,” Owens said. “I am fortunate that because of my education and experience in technology, I understand how technology works. That’s important because it is engrained in everything we do.”
Serving as director of programs in the past in which, collectively, she worked with more than 1,500 students, was an experience that has helped prepare Owens for her new role.
“My passion is working with students,” she said. “Being able to do that and concentrate on the administrative side on a larger scale now is very exciting to me. I also enjoy working with so many different people at UT Dallas. The people here are dedicated, student focused, and not afraid to try new things.”
Owens is a member of the Association of Information Systems (AIS) and the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), She serves on the advisory board of AIS student chapters and as co-chair of AIS Women’s Network.
