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John C. Volin, PhD serves as the 18th President of Gustavus. 

Following a postdoctoral fellowship in plant physiological ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Volin accepted a faculty position at Florida Atlantic University, where he rose to the rank of full professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and served as the director of the Environmental Sciences graduate program. Volin joined the University of Connecticut in 2007 to head the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, advancing to serve as Vice Provost of Academic Affairs. From 2020-2025, Volin served as the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of Maine, where his portfolio included oversight of more than 1,000 faculty and staff and a budget of over $250 million. Volin is recognized as a national leader in using evidence-based practices to support holistic student wellbeing. He serves on the Executive Committee of the LearningWell Coalition and is a co-founder and senior advisor of LearningWell magazine.

Born and raised in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Volin holds a BS in botany and biology and an MS in agronomy from the South Dakota State University, and a PhD in forestry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Volin and his wife, Valeria, have five children and six grandchildren.

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Dr. Lauren Hecht is the Richard Martin, Timothy Robinson, and Barbara Simpson Endowed Professor of Psychological Science. She joined the faculty in 2010 and was the 2022 recipient of Gustavus’ Edgar M. Carlson Award for Distinguished Teaching. She is a cognitive psychologist whose primary research focuses on perception and attention, how they interact, and their influence on other cognitive processes. Her student-faculty collaborations have secured grant funding and resulted in presentations at regional and international conferences. As a First-Generation faculty who directed the First Term Seminar (FTS) Program and co-founded the Peer Mentor, Academic Leader, and Teacher (Peer MALT) Program, she regularly offers an FTS and supports students through their transition to college.

Kjerstin Moody (PhD) is an associate professor and chair of the Department of Scandinavian Studies. She teaches courses in English on contemporary Nordic society, politics, cultures, literature, film, and art, as well as beginning through advanced courses in Swedish. Her published scholarship and current research includes: 20th century and contemporary Nordic poetry, literatures of migration and the environment, women’s writing, and Nordic film. Service at the national level includes the Modern Language Association's CLCS Nordic Forum, Fulbright National Selection Committee, and American Literary Translators Association, as well as peer reviewer for numerous international and national scholarly journals. Affiliate faculty in Comparative Literature, Environmental Studies, and Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies at Gustavus. Her work has been supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, Fulbright, American Scandinavian Foundation, and U.S. Department of Education.

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Dr. David Stamps anchors his career in the deliberate synthesis of creative practice, academic inquiry, and institutional leadership. As a multi-faceted educator and administrator, he serves as the Assistant Provost of Faculty Development and Support, the Director of the John S. Kendall Center for Engaged Learning, and an Associate Professor of Music and Arts Entrepreneurship. Across all his roles, Dave is dedicated to cultivating environments where both faculty and students can thrive creatively, pedagogically, and professionally.

With a deep-rooted passion for music and the creative economy, Dave’s academic expertise encompasses jazz composition and arranging, music business and industry, recording technology, and jazz ensemble direction. His work as a composer and performer is recognized globally; his music has been performed on stages across five continents, spanning Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. Extending the reach of the classroom onto the world stage, Dave’s international footprint includes significant time spent in Romania as a visiting artist and scholar.

In his administrative capacities, Dave is a collaborative leader championing the future of higher education. His primary focus areas include faculty development, inclusive mentoring, arts administration, and the strategic, ethical engagement with artificial intelligence (AI) in learning environments. Whether navigating the impact of emerging technologies in the classroom or building equitable mentoring frameworks, Dave focuses on empowering educators to excel in an ever-changing academic landscape.

Beyond his campus responsibilities, Dave is the co-founder and Past President of the International Society of Jazz Arrangers & Composers (ISJAC), an organization dedicated to fostering advocacy, community, and the appreciation of new works among jazz creators worldwide.
 

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