UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Schreyer Honors College named Zaryab Iqbal as its new associate dean on Jan. 3. An international relations expert and a veteran educator and administrator, Iqbal brings a global approach and a fresh perspective to the college’s leadership.
Iqbal holds a doctorate in political science and has been on the College of the Liberal Arts faculty at Penn State for 14 years. With administrative roles both at Penn State and at the National Science Foundation also on her resume, Iqbal will help lead Schreyer Scholars from across the University who come from a wide range of disciplines and have varying co-curricular interests.
“I’m most excited about this opportunity [as associate dean] because of my longstanding interest in interdisciplinary approaches to academic outcomes,” said Iqbal. “Schreyer Honors College is a space within Penn State in which we are trying to harness the strengths of all colleges, all disciplines, and all campuses. That effort, by necessity, calls for an interdisciplinary approach.”
During her time at Penn State, Iqbal has developed an understanding of the resources and complexities that come with the University’s size, she said. Now, as an administrator, she plans to take an engaged approach to grasp how those complexities impact Schreyer.
"I want to ramp up efforts for faculty outreach, both at University Park and the Commonwealth Campuses, because each college is unique, and there are even additional differences among departments within colleges," Iqbal said. "So, I am planning a listening tour of colleges and campuses to understand their particular needs."
In her new role, Iqbal’s work will focus heavily on elements such as academic affairs, student programming, and admissions. She explained that she has crafted her goals and strategies for the position around what she calls the “Schreyer Promise.”
“My purpose is to help the college deliver exceptional academic outcomes for all of our Scholars,” Iqbal noted. “When we talk about exceptional outcomes, the focus is on student success.
“Going forward, I will seek opportunities to be directly involved in Schreyer’s processes for enhancing student success and access,” she continued. “By removing barriers to goal achievement through addressing financial needs, incorporating inclusive practices, and helping students engage with the University community, both socially and academically, Schreyer can deliver on its promise."
Iqbal is not alone in bringing fresh ideas, goals and strategies to the college’s leadership team. Patrick Mather was appointed dean in June 2021, and began his role on Aug.16 following the retirement of former dean Peggy A. Johnson. Iqbal said that the dynamic between her and Mather has been very collaborative.
“Pat and I talk frequently and think about strategies to combine our respective strengths to enhance various aspects of the Scholars’ experiences,” she said. “We enjoy talking about the new directions in which we could take Schreyer.”
No matter where those new directions lead, said Iqbal, she and Mather will work to continue to deliver on the Honors College’s mission of promoting academic excellence with integrity, building a global perspective, and creating opportunities for leadership and civic engagement
In particular, Iqbal draws on her experience at the National Science Foundation to help impart leadership lessons, she said.
“My work at the NSF showcased to me the importance of communicating the value of science to a diverse range of stakeholders,” she said. “The true contribution of science lies in its societal impact and support for scientific endeavors at all levels necessitates scientists’ ability to communicate their work to broad audiences clearly.
“To that end, I am committed to efforts that will help Schreyer Scholars build the skills needed to speak across disciplines and professions,” Iqbal continued. “Whatever venue our Scholars pursue in their careers, effective communication will be critical to their success.”
As a researcher, Iqbal's time has been dedicated to international relations, focusing on the consequences of militarized conflict, issues related to political violence, and state failure. She credited her interest in that field of study to an experience from her teenage years; in high school she took a course in world history that had a section on World War II and the Holocaust, and that introduced her to the concept of genocide. “I decided that I wanted to pursue higher education in a field that would help me understand how violent conflict impacts ordinary people and civilians," she said.
For Scholars, and students at large, who are discovering and pursuing their professional interests at Penn State, Iqbal said that if something speaks to them at an emotional level, they should not disregard that feeling.
“They should always be open to pursuing what they feel passionately about,” she added. “When we feel passionately about something, we are in a much better position to make a long-term commitment to that.”