Sometimes, what you’re looking for is right under your nose.
This is what Bradley discovered in its search for a new dean of the Slane College of Communication and Fine Arts.
A search committee, composed of seven faculty and staff members and one student, evaluated over 70 applicants from across the nation for the position. Ultimately, they determined the ideal candidate was already a member of the Bradley community.
“There’s no one that understands our college better than [Ethan Ham] because of all his experience here,” Scott Cavanah, Interactive Media chair and a member of the search committee, said.
“He is uniquely qualified to understand what the university is going through, and he definitely has ideas of what we need to be doing to succeed as we move forward,” Cavanah added.
Ham, who was officially appointed dean on April 7, has served as interim dean since January 2024. Before that, he spent eight years as the chair of the Department of Interactive Media, where he incited significant change.
Under Ham’s leadership, enrollment in the department increased by 266 percent. He secured three partnerships with NASA and oversaw the game design program as it rose in national rankings.
As he permanently assumes his new role, Ham believes his time within the college has equipped him well for the challenges ahead.
“I really know the college very well, and I know where the struggles and the strengths are,” Ham said. “I can step into this role with that information and hit the ground running.”
The search committee, chaired by Department of Communication Chair Tony Adams, was conscious of the need to remain objective while considering an internal candidate. In addition to collaborating with a search firm, they collected input from members of the college through anonymous surveys.
“All of the feedback illustrated the person who we should have hired … overwhelmingly,” Adams said. “Everybody has a stake in [the decision].”
The first survey was distributed on Sept. 19. By March 5, the pool had been narrowed to two finalists, and CFA faculty, staff and students were invited to hear from both at an open forum.
One person in particular was able to bring a student’s perspective to the search. Senior music business major Patrick Sheeley acted as the sole student on the committee.
“Ethan Ham is an advocate for all. His first priority is to help others, especially students,” Sheeley said. “Beyond that, Ethan has spent the last year successfully running the CFA college, and that should be an exciting sentiment about the possibilities the future holds for Slane.”
Looking ahead, Ham shared that he plans to build on the progress made during his time as interim, with intentions to strengthen morale among students, faculty and staff and continue increasing enrollment.
“One focus for the college right now is to improve our enrollment,” Ham said. “Our strategy for doing that is to curate amazing student experiences.”
Among these experiences is a new Art and Tech Camp launching this summer, allowing prospective students to experience Bradley’s campus firsthand.
“You’re starting to see a lot more student outreach and more timely activities like the summer camp. I really love that he’s doing that,” Adams said.
As Ham transitions from interim to permanent dean, his day-to-day responsibilities remain much the same. However, his appointment marks a step toward greater leadership stability at Bradley.
“Ethan is an avid listener and learner,” Sheeley said. “[These are] qualities that will ultimately make him a great leader and dean.”
