Ann Ferren

In recognition of her significant contributions to the association and to college teaching and learning and institutional reform, Ann S. Ferren was named a Distinguished Fellow of AAC&U in 2016. Dr. Ferren has served on the AAC&U Board of Directors, the Editorial Advisory Board of Peer Review, and the faculty of numerous AAC&U Summer Institutes. Her work on academic quality, assessment, and the reallocation of resources to support learning and curricular improvement has been highly influential, and she has written on these and related topics for AAC&U journals. She is coauthor of the AAC&U publications Faculty Leadership for Integrative Liberal Learning (2015), General Education and Liberal Learning: Principles of Effective Practice (2010), and the ground-breaking Investing in Quality: Tools for Improving Curricular Efficiency (2000).

Dr. Ferren is a leading expert on higher education curriculum and administration. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Radcliffe College, a master’s degree in teaching from Harvard University, and a PhD in education from Boston University. She has served as provost of the American University in Bulgaria; vice president for academic affairs at Radford University; and associate dean of faculties, director of general education, vice provost for academic development, and interim provost at American University in Washington, DC. The Dr. Ann S. Ferren MCAT Preparation Scholarship is awarded to students at Radford University, and the Ann S. Ferren and Jonathan D. Fife Scholarship for Community Service is awarded to students at the American University in Bulgaria; at the annual “Ann Ferren Conference on Teaching, Research, and Learning,” the American University presents its Ann S. Ferren Curriculum Design Award to two or more faculty members whose collaboration fosters the integrative learning of undergraduate students.