New associate dean Van Puymbroeck to focus on grad student mental health and TA training

Marieke Van Puymbroeck, a professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, has been named Associate Dean of the Graduate School. She will focus on a diverse portfolio of activities including:

• GRAD 360˚, the Graduate School’s comprehensive professional development program for graduate students and post-doctoral scholars;
• supporting the Graduate Diversity Doctoral Fellowship in collaboration with the Office of Access and Equity;
• developing mentorship training for faculty in cooperation with the National Research Mentoring Network;
• improving training graduate teaching assistants (GTAs); and
• supporting mental health initiatives.

“Dr. Van Puymbroeck has demonstrated an exemplary commitment to graduate student success through her research and service” said Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School John Lopes. “Among many accomplishments, she has developed an advanced practice MS program and an online PhD program, both in Recreational Therapy.” Lopes says he is confident graduate students at Clemson will greatly benefit from her experience and focus on innovative graduate education.

Van Puymbroeck was recently named a Distinguished Fellow of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association and is a past president of the group, as well. She has been at Clemson since 2013 and graduate program coordinator for the PRTM program since 2020. She earned her MS in therapeutic recreation and her PhD in rehabilitation science from the University of Florida.

The associate dean position became available at the end of fall 2020 when Tia Dumas was named associate vice president for strategic alliances (see related article). Van Puymbroeck stood out among a highly competitive pool of candidates in an internal search. She was also a member of the inaugural 2016 cohort of the Clemson Presidential Leadership Institute.

Van Puymbroeck says she is looking forward to continuing the excellent work that the graduate school is doing and is excited about enhancing training and mental health initiatives. “I am passionate about enhancing the Clemson experience for graduate students and look forward to the opportunity to serve all graduate students at Clemson,” she said.