Soojung Kim named dean of School of Graduate Studies

Appointment is effective immediately for Kim, who has served as interim dean since 2025

University of North Dakota Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Eric Link has appointed Soojung Kim as dean of the UND School of Graduate Studies following a national search.

Kim assumes the role effective immediately. She has served as interim dean since 2025, providing steady leadership while advancing key initiatives to support graduate education across the University.

“Soojung Kim is a thoughtful and forward-looking leader who has already made a meaningful impact on graduate education at UND,” Link said.

“Her commitment to academic excellence, student success and interdisciplinary collaboration has been evident throughout her time as interim dean. Dr. Kim brings both vision and experience to this role, and I am confident she will continue to strengthen our graduate programs, expand research opportunities and elevate the School of Graduate Studies in ways that benefit our entire university community.”

Link also recognized those who contributed to the search, including the committee chaired by Dean Rebecca Bichel, and thanked members of the campus community for their engagement throughout the process.

Kim emphasized her commitment to sustaining the School of Graduate Studies’ momentum and advancing graduate education at UND.

“I am honored to serve as the next Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and am grateful to Provost Link for his trust in me, as well as to the search committee for their thoughtful work,” Kim said. “I look forward to continuing our collaboration with the School of Graduate Studies’ staff and colleagues across campus as we advance graduate education in the R1 era.”

About Soojung Kim

Soojung Kim (Ph.D., University of Minnesota) has served as interim dean of the School of Graduate Studies since 2025 and is an associate professor of Communication at UND.

Her leadership at UND is grounded in a commitment to expanding access to high-quality graduate education, strengthening community and industry partnerships, and supporting research and creative activities that address important challenges and issues facing North Dakota, the nation and the global community.

As interim dean, Kim worked to advance academic excellence through relationship-based leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration and strategic initiatives. Working closely with faculty, academic units and campus partners, she has fostered innovative approaches to teaching, research and creative activities that support UND’s continued growth as a leading R1 institution.

A public health communication scholar, Kim remains actively engaged in research and externally funded projects that examine how communication can help address complex public health challenges in North Dakota and beyond. As an educator, she is also known for her commitment to student success, mentoring both undergraduate and graduate students and creating experiential learning opportunities that connect scholarship with real-world impact.

Prior to serving as interim dean, Kim held leadership roles as department chair and graduate program director in the Department of Communication. In those roles, she led initiatives that increased undergraduate and graduate enrollment, revived the Journalism degree program, expanded partnerships with industry and alumni, and led the development of the online M.A. and Ph.D. in Communication programs, which have since become key drivers of program growth.