David Schneider, Ph.D., will lead the UAB Graduate School as interim dean, and Catherine Crowe, J.D., will spearhead global engagement as interim senior international officer.The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Graduate School and Global Affairs will become two distinct, collaborative entities: the UAB Graduate School and the UAB Office of Global Engagement.

Effective June 1, this move is part of a broader institutional commitment to enhance academic excellence and global engagement through targeted focus and specialized leadership.

The UAB Graduate School will focus exclusively on advancing graduate education, with an emphasis on professional development, academic innovation and student support. The Office of Global Engagement will advance study abroad, support international student, faculty, staff, and scholar services, and support international partnerships and health initiatives.

David Schneider, Ph.D., will lead the UAB Graduate School as interim dean, while Catherine Crowe, J.D., will spearhead global engagement as interim senior international officer.

Both entities will continue to report to the Office of the Provost and maintain a shared commitment to UAB’s strategic pillars.

“I’m grateful to both of these leaders through this organizational change,” said UAB Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Janet Woodruff-Borden, Ph.D. “This realignment reflects our forward momentum as a university dedicated to the success of our students, faculty, staff and strategic partners. By enabling each unit to lead with clarity of purpose, we strengthen our ability to serve more effectively.”

Collaborative initiatives, such as international research programs and joint funding opportunities, will continue under a coordinated framework designed to support cross-functional excellence.

The UAB Office of Global Engagement will maintain a commitment to graduate students while increasing its focus on undergraduate students. The office will collaborate on joint efforts with enrollment management and student success services like undergraduate admissions and scholarships, retention initiatives, and more.