Elanie Steyn

On July 1, Elanie Steyn assumed the role of associate dean of Gaylord College. She succeeds David Craig, who is stepping down at his request after 14 years in the position.

“The job of an associate dean in a college like ours is a demanding one, and we are forever indebted to David for his leadership for a long time,” said Ed Kelley, dean of Gaylord College. “I am pleased that Elanie has agreed to assume the position as David steps down. She has excelled in key roles in Gaylord for a number of years and will bring that experience to help make the college even stronger going forward." 

Steyn joined Gaylord College in 2007 and has been part of leadership in the college since 2014, as area head for journalism. She has taught a variety of courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, including on media management and the business of media. For more than a decade she has played a key role in overseeing the college’s relationship with the State Department on grants related to media and small business, primarily in South Asian countries.

“I am excited and honored to take over the reins from someone who is an institution in Gaylord College,” Steyn said. “In the wisdom David Craig shared with me, he said (and I paraphrase) that the faculty in Gaylord had been his main focus in his time as associate dean at Gaylord. And my main vision would be to keep this focus, to see what makes people enthusiastic about their jobs and how they contribute to educating the future professionals in whatever field they are working in. Also to support them when it comes to ideas and projects they are passionate about, to help guide these projects and ideas toward forwarding the overall vision of the college and ultimately the students we work with. 

“I believe everyone is passionate about something,” she continued. “And when we can identify that passion and channel it toward things we do in our everyday activities, it makes a significant difference to ourselves as well as those we work with. I hope to be able to help faculty in this process to the ultimate benefit of the college. In addition, I would like to play a role in shaping the future of the college through the faculty we hire in years to come, because as we often say: committed faculty are the strength of Gaylord College.”