Gerarda M. Shields To Serve As Dean Of Students and Senior Associate Vice President Of Student Life At Manhattan College
Gerarda M. Shields, ’03, ’04 (M.S.), Ph.D., P.E., and a former Manhattan College Division I athlete, is returning “home” to serve as Dean of Students and Senior Associate Vice President of Student Life. In this role, she will provide guidance to all students at the College managing campus community standards and the students’ code of conduct.
“It’s a joyful feeling of homecoming,” said Dr. Shields. “The true strength of a Manhattan College education is the development of the whole person, and I look forward to continuing to foster a community of belonging for students, faculty, and staff.”
As Dean of Students, Dr. Shields will work with the academic deans to ensure students are fully supported in their personal and professional development and will coordinate the College’s conduct cases, overseeing judicial investigations. She also will chair the campus safety committee, develop standard operating protocols for the Campus Assessment Resource and Education (CARE) team, along with other duties. In addition, the Counseling Center, Health Services, and the Center for Career Development will all fall under the oversight and leadership of the Dean of Students. Shields will report directly to the Vice President of Student Life, Kristell Lowe.
Said Lowe, “Gerarda has an excellent background as well as the institutional knowledge of Manhattan College that will serve her well in this role. She comes with a passion for the Jasper community as someone who has remained connected to the College even after graduation.”
Dr. Shields previously served as the Dean of the School of Technology & Design at New York City College of Technology (City Tech). In that position, she propelled the college’s mission with new degree programs, workforce development partnerships, undergraduate research cohorts, and early college initiatives. She has also served as adjunct associate professor for Civil and Environmental Engineering at Manhattan College since 2010, and has been an active speaker in the summer engineering awareness programs. She brings nearly two decades of experience in higher education having held both tenured faculty and administrative roles.
Dr. Shields is a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and has served the Society at the college, regional, and national levels on both academic and research-based committees. Prior to her career in academia, she worked at Hardesty & Hanover, LLC, an engineering firm specializing in moveable bridges. Dr. Shields holds a BS and MS in civil engineering from Manhattan College. She earned her doctorate in civil engineering from The City College of New York and is a licensed professional engineer in the states of New York and California. She resides in Riverdale, New York with her husband, a fellow Jasper, and three children.