Caryn Chaden is set to retire this June. (Photo by Aubreonna Chamberlain/DePaul University)In 1986, the Chicago Bears won the Super Bowl, Blue Demon men’s basketball made it to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, and a hotdog and fries combo from the original Demon Dogs cost about $1. 1986 is also the year Caryn Chaden began her DePaul career.
After 39 years of helping the university grow its programs and solidify its reputation, Chaden will retire from her role as associate provost for student success and accreditation in June.
Though Chaden first joined campus as a faculty member in the English department teaching First Year Writing and 18th century literature, she soon discovered her knack for committee work.
“Early in my career I received several grants and a leave to work on research projects, but I ultimately found this work to be a little lonely,” she says. “I remember writing in my journal that I wanted to work on a team, and that set the path for the rest of my career. I was asked to be on this committee, then that one, then another. If you’ve ever been on a committee, you can tell who likes it and who does not. And I did.”
After receiving tenure, Chaden took on the job of leading the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Honors Program. In the late 1990s, following a short research leave in England, Chaden returned to support a fledging Irwin W. Steans Center, then known as the Office of Community-Based Service Learning. She served as a faculty liaison and helped to identify the first round of courses for the program. Since then, the Steans Center, which now reports up to her, has grown into a robust staple at the university, providing an academic bridge between DePaul and Chicago communities, a direct reflection of the university’s Catholic, Vincentian and Urban mission.
In 1999, Chaden was appointed associate dean for the college, overseeing the Liberal Studies Program and other initiatives. In 2004-2005, she participated in the American Council on Education’s Fellows program and spent the year at University of Illinois at Chicago learning about university-level administration by shadowing the chancellor and vice provost. In 2006, back at DePaul, Chaden took on the role of associate provost for student success and accreditation.
As associate provost and DePaul’s institutional accreditation officer, Chaden initiated the Office of Academic Advising Support to serve students exploring different majors and minors. She also launched the First-Year Academic Success Program’s math and writing pre-requisite offerings. She has co-led the implementation of numerous online advising and communications projects, co-written multiple academic policies, and led the university’s successful reaffirmation processes for the Higher Learning Commission. In addition to the offices already mentioned, the Writing Center and Center for Teaching and Learning also report up to her, and she serves as the academic liaison for several councils, boards and initiatives.
“I have loved mentoring and working with my staff and seeing so many projects go from a simple idea to being fully realized,” Chaden says. “I’d like to believe I set a positive tone for processes like academic program review and assessment that have an impact on students’ learning. Since I announced my retirement earlier this academic year, I’ve had the opportunity to hear many kind words from my colleagues. I’ve also been able to work with my successor in this role, John Shanahan, to create a smooth transition. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to close this chapter.”
Chaden’s plans for the near future include continuing to work with the DePaul Dialogue Collaborative and Steans Center partners as a volunteer, along with other activities she enjoys, including community singing, exercise and travel.
“I’m so fortunate to have been able to build my career at DePaul and be part of this wonderful community. I look forward to continuing this relationship in new ways for many years to come.”