Kathleen Fitzpatrick has been appointed Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies for Michigan State University’s College of Arts & Letters, effective Aug. 15, 2025, following a year serving in the interim role.

A nationally recognized scholar of digital humanities, Fitzpatrick is uniquely positioned to guide the college’s research and graduate programs, having spent her career creating open-source tools for academic collaboration while building resilient, sustainable scholarly communities.

“Dr. Fitzpatrick brings a wealth of experience to this position and a clear vision for advancing research, creative activity, and graduate education across the College of Arts & Letters,” said Yen-Hwei Lin, Interim Dean of the College of Arts & Letters. “We are excited to welcome her into this role and look forward to the leadership and insight she will bring to our academic and scholarly community.”

Fitzpatrick joined Michigan State University in 2017 as Professor in the Department of English and Director of Digital Humanities, having served in this role until July 2024 when she was appointed Interim Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies.

Her work and research interests focus on transforming universities into more open and generous spaces for cultural and intellectual work.