Sarah Gardial, dean of the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business since 2012, will leave that position to become business dean at a private Christian college in Nashville, Tenn., UI officials announced. 

As dean, Gardial expanded the Tippie College’s master’s degree offerings to include finance and business analytics, and oversaw the development of a new online part-time MBA program that began this fall. She also phased out the college’s full-time MBA program.

Gardial oversaw recruitment efforts that pushed the Tippie College’s enrollment to record highs, and led efforts to revise and broaden the undergraduate curriculum. A native of Hot Springs, Ark., Gardial is leaving to be closer to family who are still in the South, UI said in a news release. 

“Dean Gardial has earned her reputation as an innovative leader and creative problem solver who leaves the Tippie College of Business well-positioned for the future as one of the country’s top business schools,” said Montserrat Fuentes, executive vice president and provost. “She leaves the Tippie College of Business stronger than it was when she arrived, and we are grateful for her leadership.”

Gardial will begin her new position as dean of the Massey College of Business at Belmont University on March 1. An interim dean will be named, and UI will conduct an external search for her replacement. 

Also leaving UI is Melissa Shivers, vice president for student life and interim diversity head, who is leaving to take a similar job at Ohio State University. Her last day at Iowa will be after the fall semester in December. Shivers was named vice president of student life in June 2017.  

UI President Bruce Harreld said in a statement that Shivers arrived on the UI campus ready to meet lofty expectations and has exceeded those expectations. The university will begin an internal search for her replacement. 

“During her time on our campus, she has left an indelible mark that will stay with our students and each of us for years to come. And over the next several months we will celebrate all of her accomplishments, which have placed our campus and our students in a position to succeed,” Harreld said.

To read a Business Record Insider article recapping Gardial’s first five years as dean of the Tippie College of Business, click here.