April 3, 2025 — Marist University has appointed Dr. Maurice Hall as Dean of the School of Communication and the Arts, effective July 1, following a national search. Dr. Hall is currently Provost at Bennington College in Vermont and brings with him a significant amount of experience in higher education as both an administrator and educator, as well as industry expertise in strategic communication and organizational leadership.

Dr. Hall joined Bennington College in 2021. His previous experience includes a role as a professor and Department Chair at Villanova University as well as Dean and professor of communication at The College of New Jersey. He comes to Marist ready to lead a school that features a wide range of disciplines with a strong focus on experiential learning and professional development.

“I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Hall as Marist’s new Dean of the School of Communication and the Arts,” said Dr. Catherine Gunther Kodat, Provost of Marist University. “He brings a tremendous wealth of knowledge and experience to the role, both as a scholar trained in communication and its related fields and as an administrator with a keen understanding of how an interrelated approach to curricular development, student support, and faculty welfare makes for a flourishing academic enterprise. We are fortunate indeed that Dr. Hall has chosen to make Marist his new creative and intellectual home.”

“Marist is an excellent institution to begin a new phase of my academic career and a new phase of my intellectual journey,” said Dr. Hall. “Marist is a global university with an outstanding liberal arts core. The School of Communication and the Arts is setting the standard for an exceptional education in the creative industries in the 21st century. I look forward to working with the faculty, staff and students to continue moving this amazing school to the next level.”

Marist Fashion’s Silver Needle Runway show in 2024. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist University.

During his career, Dr. Hall has conducted research that explores the social organizing of culture in the U.S. and Jamaica, focusing on media, public communication, and the arts. An award-winning scholar with a robust portfolio of publications, he has written extensively on intercultural and organizational communication, leadership, media, and Caribbean identity.

“With an abundance of talent and range of experience, Dr. Hall stood out among a pool of exceptionally strong candidates,” said Marist President Dr. Kevin Weinman. “He is dedicated to fostering a forward-thinking, dynamic and inclusive learning environment. As we seek to advance Marist’s strategic vision, Dr. Hall joins us at an important moment, and I am eager for the key role he will play in driving our success.”

Dr. Hall is the co-editor of Re-Constructing Place and Space, which in 2012 received the Outstanding Book of the Year award from the National Communications Association’s African American Communication and Culture Division. He has served as a consultant for nonprofits, led conflict resolution initiatives, and has a long-standing passion for theatre. He also earned a B.A. in Literature with honors from the University of the West Indies at Mona in Jamaica; a post graduate certificate in Journalism from Westminster University in London, England; and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Communication from Howard University in Washington, D.C.

The Red Fox Report, presented by the Center for Sports Communication. Photo by Carlo de Jesus/Marist University.

He follows Dr. Jacqueline Reich, who announced last year that she would step down from her role as Dean to embark on a new chapter at the end of this academic year to focus on teaching and research. Dr. Reich will become a full-time Professor of Film, Television, and Media Arts.

About Marist’s School of Communication and the Arts
The School of Communication and the Arts equips students with the skills and experience needed for dynamic careers in communication, digital media, journalism, fashion, fine arts, graphic design, and more. Regardless of their major, students blend cutting-edge classroom instruction with exceptional real-world opportunities.