Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty Malcolm S. Hill announced today that Shonna M. Humphrey, former director of foundation relations at Thomas College, will become the director of sponsored programs and research compliance at Bates effective June 3, 2019.

“Shonna brings to Bates a track record of success with securing grants and financial support for a variety of non-profit organizations. Her management experience, combined with a profound dedication to academia and higher education, will provide strong support for our community of scholars at Bates,” said Hill.

“I am thrilled to join the team at Bates, especially at this dynamic time in the college’s history,” said Humphrey. “As a leading liberal arts college, Bates is home to faculty and students who have been at the forefront of many thrilling research endeavors.”

Humphrey will oversee the college’s system for obtaining, managing, and stewarding external grant support for faculty research and institutional priorities. As director, she will work closely with faculty, senior staff, and the Office of College Advancement to identify funding needs, prepare successful grant applications, and manage active grants effectively and efficiently. Humphrey will also be responsible for research compliance in cooperation with the dean of the faculty, including working with the college’s Institutional Review Board and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.

In her role at Thomas, Humphrey managed several high-value proposals and contracts from federal, state, and private sources to support the college’s operating budget. Her efforts led to recent grant awards from the U.S. Department of Education’s TRIO and Title III programs – the first such funding from federal sources in the history of the college. Before her time at Thomas, Humphrey served as executive director of the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance, where she helped to restructure the organization for long-term sustainability. Humphrey has also held positions at So Others Might Eat, the largest service provider for the homeless in Washington, DC, and The Brookings Institution.

In addition to her professional experience, Humphrey is an accomplished author of three books, “Show Me Good Land,” “Dirt Roads and Diner Pie,” and the soon-to-be-released “Object Lesson: Gin.” She has also published essays in Salon, The Atlantic, Down East Magazine, The New York Times, and The Maine Sunday Telegram.

Humphrey earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Southern Maine and her MFA in writing and literature from Bennington College.

Humphrey’s appointment follows a national search overseen by a committee comprised of Áslaug Ásgeirsdóttir, associate dean of the faculty, Jason Castro, associate professor of neuroscience, Carrie Diaz Eaton, associate professor in digital and computational studies, Michael Rocque, associate professor in sociology, Carolyn Shaw, associate professor of history, and Rachel Wray, director of corporate and foundation relations.

Humphrey succeeds Theresa Bishop, who has been serving as acting director of sponsored programs and research compliance since January.

“Theresa has done amazing work as acting director, leading several grants through the complex application process and supporting our faculty with aplomb,” added Hill. “She will continue to serve as a leader in our office and a key partner to Shonna.”