Trinity Western University is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Scott Macklin as interim Dean of the School of the Arts, Media + Culture, commencing August 16, 2022.
Dr. Scott Macklin serves as the Executive Director of GLOBAL Online Learning and will take on the call to serve in an interim role as Dean of the School of the Arts, Media + Culture (SAMC) at Trinity Western University. He holds a PhD in Economics and Development Studies from Nelson Mandela University in South Africa and an MPhilF in Philosophy and Aesthetics from the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto, Canada. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Institute of Christian Studies. Previously, he served on the Seattle Music Commission + Seattle Arts Commission Youth + Community Joint Committee, the Advisory Board for the Seattle Interactive Conference, and as the curator of TEDx Seattle.
Inspirational and visionary leadership
Since 2019, Dr. Macklin has provided inspirational and visionary leadership to the advancement of Trinity Western’s online educational initiatives through TWU GLOBAL. Collaborating with internal stakeholders and external partners, he has successfully scaled TWU's online programs delivered locally and globally.
President Mark Husbands remarks, “Scott Macklin has demonstrated significant leadership in expanding access to education through TWU GLOBAL, and he has completed his PhD in a specialization relating to both media and culture. I am confident that he will bring considerable expertise in the areas of course design and curriculum delivery to the School of the Arts, Media + Culture, an area of the university that continues to make significant cultural impact. This is an exciting appointment, and I invite you to join me in offering our full support to SAMC and Scott Macklin as dean.”
Reaching and engaging learners
Dr. Macklin came to TWU from the University of Washington (UW), where he served for 21 years in multiple leadership roles. In his most recent role as Director of Integrated Learning and Innovation – Cultivate Learning, he led a team of subject matter experts in the formation of competency-based courses and facilitated the distribution of courses through an alliance comprised of 150+ institutions of higher education, impacting 5,000 teachers and more than 50,000 students. As Associate Director and Faculty – Communication Leadership graduate program, he led efforts to transform and reimagine the program. He designed and taught courses, including those on emergent storytelling practices, web development, social media, creative practice, and he led efforts to establish partnerships with cultural and creative organizations and industries.
Dr. Macklin’s teaching and scholarship focuses on developing narrative-based learning systems and comprehensive strategies to improve education, finding ways to reach and engage learners, and building career-connected pathways. Along with his scholarly work, he is a practicing artist, having produced award-winning feature length documentary films such as, Masizakhe: Building Each Other and Tribal Journey: Celebrating our Ancestors. In 2020, Dr. Macklin won the Innovator Award for his work in driving Trinity Western’s advancements in online and global learning. In 2021, he was selected by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (New York, NY) to receive a w3 Award Silver Award for Best Podcast Host for his work producing and hosting the podcast, Learning Matters: a Bridge to Practice.
Dr. Macklin expresses, “Never before have we had the need to reach so many different learners, in so many different locations, with such diverse educational needs. The School of the Arts, Media + Culture at Trinity Western University has a special opportunity to build on its considerable strength as a local, national, and global participant and set the tone for developing learning pathways and career-connected learning that matter for all – programmatic offerings that amplify the shine of our Imago Dei creative reality.”
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Scott Macklin, interim Dean of the School of the Arts, Media + Culture.
About Trinity Western University's School of the Arts, Music + Culture (SAMC)
At Trinity Western's SAMC, students are invited to immerse themselves in what they love best, whether it’s visual or performing arts, media, or communication. Professors are people of faith and experts in their fields who are committed to seeing you thrive. As your mentors, they will build a safe and welcoming space where you will be challenged to take bold steps, explore ideas of faith and meaning, and push the boundaries of your discipline—to fearlessly engage with and transform culture. Learn more about pursuing your passion at SAMC.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier global Christian liberal arts university. We are dedicated to equipping students to discover meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. Drawing upon the riches of the Christian tradition, seeking to unite faith and reason through teaching and scholarship, Trinity Western University is a degree-granting research institution offering liberal arts and sciences as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
For media inquiries, please contact: media@twu.ca.