By John Mugol, Triton’s Call Staff

Sharleen Santos-Bamba, Ph.D., has stepped up as the acting associate dean of UOG’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

Santos-Bamba, who was an English composition teacher since 2003 at UOG, was given an acting capacity as the CLASS associate dean for academic year 2015-2016

“So far, I’m enjoying what I’m doing,” said Santos-Bamba.

Santos-Bamba has a lot on her plate, as she tackles the roles of the associate dean for CLASS, while also serving as an associate professor for the advanced composition course in the English department.

Santos-Bamba is content among the university campus and their students.

“I want to see students embrace what they’re learning, and to acknowledge and recognize that learning doesn’t just happen on campus,” she said.  “They need to take what they learn here and extend it off campus.”

The associate dean also had some advice to students not only in her college, but also to the student body as a whole.

“We need to take the initiative to find opportunities to improve ourselves, to improve our learning, even just to try new things,” said Santos-Bamba.

As associate dean, Santos-Bamba has aspirations.

“We’ll continue to grow our major base, so that students who complete a degree program out of CLASS – this idea of liberal arts,” said Santos-Bamba.

Santos-Bamba wants to see a difference among students in her college.

“That they’ll go out and make a change, use their creative expression, use what they learn about people and culture, to further progress our community and communities outside our region.”