Dawn of the Deans: UM Starts Semester With 3 New College Administrators

MISSOULA – The University of Montana is launching fall semester with three new college deans.

The new administrators are Michael Lynn, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences; Leslie Rissler, dean of the College of Science; and Jenn Snow, dean of the Phyllis J. Washington College of Education.

“It’s a new day at UM, with a major injection of fresh ideas and leadership,” UM Provost Adrea Lawrence said. “These colleges are in good hands with these hires, and I can’t wait to see how they elevate UM and propel us forward.”

Michael Lynn

Dr. Lynn now leads UM’s College of Humanities and Sciences, which contains 16 departments and programs that range from anthropology and English to history, psychology and world languages.

Lynn comes to UM from Purdue University Northwest in the Chicago area, where he was a tenured history professor and served in a variety of administrative roles, including associate dean of the College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences. Lynn also directed Concurrent Enrollment Programs and at various times chaired Purdue Northwest departments such as history and social sciences. He often served in interim administrative roles, including associate vice president for academic affairs.

Lynn said UM has tremendous strengths in the humanities and social sciences, and he looks forward to working with colleagues to shape a college with a forward-looking strategic plan that benefits all its essential disciplines.

“Amid rapid global change, the work of this college strengthens the ability of students to think critically, communicate clearly and solve 21st-century problems,” he said. “These skills prepare our graduates to succeed in the workplace and have meaningful lives.”

Before joining Purdue Northwest in 2009, Lynn worked at Atlanta’s Agnes Scott College. He earned his history doctorate from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1997.

“I’m excited to help craft a clear vision of how the humanities and social sciences can thrive at UM, positively impact Missoula and the region and play a key role in enriching our communities and addressing the complex challenges of our times,” he said.

Leslie Rissler

Dr. Rissler has taken the reins of UM’s College of Science, which was launched in 2025. The new college comprises eight established departments, including biological sciences, chemistry, math, computer science, and physics and astronomy.

Rissler is an integrative biologist who previously worked at the National Science Foundation in various executive leadership roles, including section head for the Living Systems sector. She also served in leadership roles in the Division of Environmental Biology, overseeing research portfolios in excess of $100 million annually.

Before joining NSF, Rissler was a professor of biological sciences at the University of Alabama, where she founded interdisciplinary programs in evolutionary studies and led a cross-university initiative to advance the public’s understanding of evolution. She worked at UA from 2003 to 2015, where her research integrated ecology, evolution and biodiversity science.

Rissler earned her biology doctorate from the University of Virginia in 2000.

“How often do you have the opportunity to help build a new College of Science, especially at a time when scientific research and evidence-based thinking have rarely been more important,” she said. “UM offers something unique – students can work alongside world-renowned faculty across all fields of science, even as freshmen.

“I’m excited to share that story, demonstrate why science matters and put UM’s College of Science on the national map,” she said. “Ultimately the measure of our success will be the opportunities we create for students and the difference our science makes in people’s lives.”

Jenn Snow

Dr. Snow is the head of UM’s college of education, which trains educators with its departments of counseling, teaching and learning, and educational leadership.

She comes to UM from Boise State University in Idaho, where she was a professor and program area coordinator for the Department of Teaching, Learning and Community Engagement within the College of Education.

Snow joined Boise State in 2003 and rose through the faculty ranks. She served as interim dean of the education college from 2019 to 2022 after serving as associate dean for teacher education from 2014 to 2019. She also chaired the Department of Curriculum, Instruction & Foundational Studies for four years.

Before Boise, Snow taught high school English and journalism in West Virginia. She also was a teaching and graduate assistant at Penn State University in Pennsylvania.

“Working with the professionals across campus and within the strong programs within the Phyllis J. Washington College of Education is a delight and honor,” she said. “I am particularly proud to be part of the high-quality clinical experiences we offer in the college. We are preparing educators who are poised to serve pre-K-12 school communities on day one.”

Snow earned her doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Penn State in 2003.

“I look forward to strengthening UM’s school-university partnerships locally and across the state of Montana,” she said. “I’m already proud of the incredible work being accomplished in the college of education, and I plan to support our forward progress, building on an amazing foundation of people, place and possibility.”

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Contact: Dave Kuntz, UM vice president of marketing and communications, 406-243-5659, dave.kuntz@umontana.edu; Michael Lynn, humanities and social sciences dean, michael.lynn@mso.umt.edu; Leslie Rissler, science college dean, leslie.rissler@mso.umt.edu; Jenn Snow, education college dean, jenn.snow@mso.umt.edu.