Van Puymbroeck accepts new role at the University of Tennesee

Marieke Van Puymbroeck, associate dean of the Graduate School and a professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, has been named vice provost and dean of the Graduate School at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, effective July 1.

During her 3.5-year tenure as the Graduate School’s associate dean for professional development and well-being, Van Puymbroeck’s accomplishments include:

• implementing Accelerate 2 Industry (A2i), a professional development program for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars who are interested in exploring careers outside academia, particularly in industry. A2i partners with potential employers to provide training in essential skills like leadership, communication and business management;
• overseeing the growth of GRAD 360˚, the Graduate School’s comprehensive professional development program for graduate students and post-doctoral scholars; more than 140 events are offered each year, and attendance doubled from 2023 to 2024;
• developing and launching the Graduate Center for Transformational Mentorship, offering mentorship training for faculty and graduate students;
• securing a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to fund a program called EMPOWERS (Evaluating Mentoring Practices for Optimal Work-life Balance in Education and Research in STEM Graduate Studies); and
• advocating for improved health insurance and related benefits for graduate students, lowering premiums and deductibles, and making covered healthcare available throughout the state for students at other Clemson campuses and facilities throughout the state.

Van Puymbroeck was named a Distinguished Fellow of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association in 2021 and is a past president of the group, as well. She has been at Clemson since 2013 and was a graduate program coordinator for the PRTM program before stepping in to the associate dean’s role. She earned her MS in therapeutic recreation and her PhD in rehabilitation science from the University of Florida.

“Marieke has been an outstanding leader and strong advocate for graduate students,” said John Lopes, associate provost and dean of the Graduate School, “and Clemson graduate students will benefit from her work on professional development and well-being for many years. We are eager to follow her next chapter and congratulate her on this well-deserved opportunity at the University of Tennessee.”