The Dean of All Trades: How Dr. James G. Snyder Became Marist’s Academic Swiss Army Knife
The Dean of All Trades: How Dr. James G. Snyder Became Marist’s Academic Swiss Army Knife
If you happen to be strolling through the scenic campus of Marist College and spot a man who looks like he’s simultaneously contemplating the metaphysical nature of the soul and the logistical nightmare of a faculty meeting, you’ve likely found Dr. James G. Snyder. Dr. Snyder isn’t just an Associate Professor of Philosophy; he is the Dean of Academic Engagement and apparently the college’s designated “Interim Dean for Everything.” From the School of Communication and the Arts to the School of Management, Snyder has worn more hats than a desperate street performer, all while keeping his cool in the name of eudaimonia.
The Philosopher-King of Poughkeepsie
In the world of academia, most people pick a lane and stay there until their tenure turns into a comfortable recliner. Not Snyder. While his heart belongs to the Renaissance Platonism of Marsilio Ficino (a guy who thought light was the soul of the universe—pretty heavy stuff), his daily calendar looks like a game of SimCity: University Edition.
As the Dean of Academic Engagement, he’s the architect behind the “Marist 100” strategic plan. Most strategic plans are just 50-page documents that people use as coasters, but Snyder’s approach is different. He leans into the concept of virtue ethics. He doesn’t just want students to pass tests; he wants them to achieve “flourishing.” In Snyder-speak, that means if you aren’t living your best life while crying over a 20-page research paper, he hasn’t done his job.
From Plato to PowerPoints
It’s rare to find a guy who can pivot from discussing the “theories of matter” to discussing “budgetary allocations for the School of Management” without experiencing a total psychic break. Yet, Snyder treats academic leadership like a philosophical exercise. When he stepped in as Interim Dean for the School of Communication and the Arts, he didn’t just fix the printers; he brought a historian’s perspective to a digital world.
He spent five years running the Honors Program, taking it from a small club of overachievers to a powerhouse of undergraduate research. He’s essentially the academic version of a “utility player” in baseball—the guy who can pitch, catch, and somehow also sell the hot dogs if the vendor calls in sick.
Discussion Topic: Can a Philosopher Run the World?
This leads us to a burning question for the Marist community and beyond: Is a background in Philosophy actually the secret weapon for effective leadership, or is Dr. Snyder just an anomaly?
Usually, we tap MBA types dr james snyder to run organizations because they know how to look at a spreadsheet and make a “frown” face. But Snyder suggests that a leader who understands why we value things (ethics) is better than a leader who only knows what things cost.
Discussion Points:
- Does “Virtue Ethics” have a place in a modern, cut-throat job market?
- Should all Deans be required to explain the works of Marsilio Ficino before they are allowed to approve a department budget?
- If Snyder becomes the “Interim Dean” of every department at once, does he officially become the Highlander of Marist College?
Dr. Snyder proves that you can be a world-class scholar of 15th-century thought and still navigate the 21st-century bureaucracy of a major college—all while being the “cool professor” who wins teaching awards.
Would you like to explore specific sections of the Marist 100 plan he co-chaired, or shall we dive deeper into his Renaissance research?
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