When Maria Galli Stampino, faculty member and former administrator in the College of Arts and Sciences, took a professional leap and started an internship as dean of Undergraduate Affairs in the Office of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, she knew that she would be learning from some of the University’s most talented leaders. Now, in her new position as dean, she is able to reflect on the impact of her experience and shed light on the importance of education as a lifelong pursuit.
How did the internship experience prepare you for your current role as dean of Undergraduate Affairs?
I define an internship as learning by doing, and my experience in the Office of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost was not significantly different from what a student would go through. In addition to learning the expectations for the dean’s role, the time spent making connections with my colleagues was extremely helpful in building and nourishing rapport with University leaders, without having to learn everything at one time.
Would you recommend that leaders utilize internships as a discovery method prior to promoting or hiring?
I think that there’s some hesitation in hosting interns because in order to be effective, it can be time consuming—especially for leaders. However, I think the dividends are substantial, obviously for the intern but also for the institution. As a leader, working with an intern who is already part of the institution provides an opportunity to acquire different points of view and input. It allows leaders to make more informed decisions, knowing that a variety of perspectives and reflections have been considered. I think it provides the opportunity to better address and serve the community.
Additionally, I think an internship provides great value to faculty members who may be considering ways to advance their careers. Like myself, many faculty members pursue higher education because we love a topic, want to solve a problem, or want to gain knowledge. But we’re often not prepared for the service aspects of the role—advising students, reviewing curricula, and participating in search committees to name a few. An internship is a great way for faculty members to learn by doing and consider how they may want to expand upon aspects of service as they continue to grow in their role.
What were some of the advantages of working as an intern before the transition to the role?Throughout my internship experience I was able to navigate the expectations and new tasks at a pace that was not overwhelming. I had time to ask questions, start new conversations, explore alternatives, and ultimately ensure that I could fulfill the role of dean in a way that would continue to drive our mission and success. As an intern, I had the ability to embrace new assignments and duties while also contributing the knowledge that I have acquired over the 25 years that I have been at the University. The ability to apply what I’ve learned as a faculty member and administrator to a leadership role, while under the guidance of experienced leaders, helped refine my vision for the future in a very positive way.
What can faculty members, and the University community, expect from your new role?
One thing that faculty members can expect is to refocus their attention on the student experience, on the curricular level, and other things such as internships and other activities. It’s common for our students to have horizontal paths to success, but we need to make sure that our depth of knowledge does not block the flow of the student from one area to another, from one course to another. The path that the student chooses has to make sense to them, and their experience should reflect this. Having interests and involvement outside of their core classes and majors is important. As faculty members, some of these things may seem like distractions, but they are part of the student’s personal and intellectual growth. Encouraging students to explore and pursue their goals while gaining experience from their own life is how we transform lives and arm the world with mature global citizens. On that note, I also want everyone to start thinking about our students as our students, regardless of their area of study. When our students graduate, they graduate from the University of Miami. This sentiment echoes the importance of creating a place where we all belong—one U.
