Colorado State University announced Wednesday that Kjerstin Thorson has been appointed the next dean of the College of Liberal Arts, beginning Aug. 1. She also will serve as a professor in the Department of Journalism & Media Communication. Thorson previously served as the associate dean for strategic initiatives in the College of Communication Arts & Sciences at Michigan State University.

“Our campus is proud to welcome Dr. Thorson as the dean of the CSU College of Liberal Arts,” CSU President Amy Parsons said. “She is a strong advocate for the power of a liberal arts degree and how social sciences can play a leading role in moving the needle on the biggest issues of our time. Her expertise and passion for civic engagement will also continue to build on the important foundation at CSU of strengthening our democracy, in alignment with our land-grant mission.” 

During her time at MSU, Thorson served as the Brandt Endowed Professor of Political Communication in the Department of Advertising & Public Relations and the School of Journalism. Her research examines digital platforms and their role in our civic lives, especially among youth and young adults. 

“Dr. Kjerstin Thorson’s track record as a scholar is every bit as impressive as her accomplishments as a visionary leader,” said Provost and Executive Vice President Marion Underwood. “She is a builder, a thought leader and an innovator who believes the path to success is paved through collaboration and inspired by discovery. She is passionate about advancing the impact of the liberal arts and social sciences on society’s most pressing challenges and will elevate the College of Liberal Arts to even greater heights than it already has achieved within our institution, across the nation and around the globe. I am excited to have her join us here at CSU.” 

Prior to her time at MSU — Michigan’s land-grant institution — Thorson was an assistant professor in the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California and research director for the Strategic Communication and Public Relations Center. 

“From minute one, when I saw the job posting, I recognized that CSU’s College of Liberal Arts brings together the right set of disciplines to change the world,” Thorson said. “The great societal challenges of our time cannot be addressed without the liberal arts — the arts, humanities, and social sciences together. The students, faculty and staff in CLA aspire to extraordinary impact in the community, in Colorado and beyond. I am thrilled to be part of that mission.” 

Thorson earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia and doctoral degree in mass communication with a minor in educational psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During her time at MSU, Thorson led the creation and implementation of the college’s Center for Teaching and Learning, which supports cohorts of teaching fellows as they engage in experimental projects in the classroom, provides faculty training, and encourages a culture of teaching excellence informed by evidence-based best practices. 

CSU’s outgoing College of Liberal Arts Dean Ben Withers served at CSU since 2016 and was named Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Iowa State University in February. Since then, CSU Economics Professor Elissa Braunstein served as interim dean.

An ‘irresistible opportunity’ 

During her visit to the CSU campus, Thorson said she found the college’s excellence and broad and deep impact an “irresistible opportunity.” One that, like many liberal arts programs throughout the country, also has its share of challenges. 

It’s not always obvious to students what the liberal arts will bring to their lives, said Thorson, thinking back to her early university years. 

“I didn’t realize until years later how deeply influenced I was by the classes I took and the conversations I had and the faculty I engaged with,” she said. 

The liberal arts should be the heart and the hub of a 21st century land-grant university, Thorson said. CLA has connections to every major and a touchpoint with every student who comes through the university. 

“The challenge is, how can we make those touchpoints really magical,” she said. “How do we create opportunities for students to think in new ways about themselves and their communities? How do we help cultivate their historical, ethical and creative imaginations and help students see the value of what they’re doing while they’re doing it? It’s an energizing challenge.”