Erica Studer-Byrnes to lead the Heavener School of Business
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida Warrington College of Business is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Erica Studer-Byrnes as the next Assistant Dean and Director of the Heavener School of Business. Studer-Byrnes currently serves as the Associate Director of the Heavener School, Warrington’s undergraduate business school.
Studer-Byrnes has a long-standing record of excellence in the classroom. She has taught experiential learning courses and graduate courses in education for 18 years and has consistently received high teaching evaluation scores from students. Her research has focused on career search self-efficacy, career development and the impact of organizational fit on intern performance. Some of her recent research will be included at the upcoming Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management.
Studer-Byrnes will be the first woman to lead the Heavener School of Business and the second woman to join Warrington’s dean leadership team.
“For almost 20 years, Erica has dedicated herself to preparing our undergraduate students for success,” said Dean Saby Mitra. “Her experience and leadership skills will be an essential part of the Heavener School’s continued positive trajectory. I’m delighted to welcome her as a member of Warrington’s leadership team.”
Studer-Byrnes will begin in her new role on July 19, 2021, just before the departure of current Heavener Associate Dean and Director Alex Sevilla. As Assistant Dean and Director of the Heavener School, Studer-Byrnes will guide and oversee the undergraduate student experience from beginning to end as well as provide strategic leadership for the school’s overall momentum forward.
As Assistant Dean, Studer-Byrnes will be responsible for strategic development, alignment, execution and oversight of the undergraduate program. She aims to design, align, and connect experiential learning opportunities in and out of the classroom for Heavener students to maximize their career and life outcomes as graduates.
In addition to her direction of the undergraduate academic experience, Studer-Byrnes will provide leadership to the Heavener School as Director. This role has several key areas of active oversight that advance the school forward: Heavener staff members (including five distinct divisions: Academic & Career Advising, Career & Leadership Programs, International Programs, UF Online Business program and Administrative operations), student engagement, marketing and communications, budgeting and fiscal oversight, operations and human resources.
“I have focused my career on helping undergraduates develop career readiness skills and self-efficacy, and I am excited to bring my data driven perspective and track record of success to the Heavener School of Business as the Assistant Dean and Director,” Studer-Byrnes said. “I care deeply about our students, the Heavener school, and our outstanding team of professionals, and look forward to engaging with this incredible community in this role.”
Studer-Byrnes started at the Warrington College of Business in January 2003 as a graduate assistant while pursuing her master’s degree in education. In her time with Warrington since, she aided students as an academic advisor before becoming Director for Academic Advising and Career Coaching in 2006. In 2017, Studer-Byrnes was appointed to her current role, Associate Director of the Heavener School of Business.
As Associate Director of Heavener, Studer-Byrnes coordinates advising, leadership, and academic programming for nearly 4,000 undergraduate students. She serves as the advisor to the Business College Council and is a member of the Heavener School of Business Undergraduate Committee. She led the operational strategy for Heavener during the COVID-19 pandemic and made significant contributions to the school strategy in her role. She sees the role of advisors as fundamental to helping students make the most of their college experience, both inside and outside of the classroom, and to career dialogues that promote curiosity in the quest for meaningful life work.
In 2012, as Associate Director for Academic Advising and Career Coaching, she was named the University of Florida Advisor of the Year and was awarded the Outstanding Academic Advising Administrator Award from the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA). For the NACADA award, she was one of only seven advisors in the entire nation to be recognized in the Administrator category.
Overall, Studer-Byrnes has nearly 20 years of experience in program management, academic advising, career coaching, career development, teaching and curriculum development.
Studer-Byrnes is a Quadruple Gator, holding a BA in Philosophy, BS in Psychology, MA in Education and Ph.D. in Counseling and Counselor Education, all from the University of Florida. She lives in Gainesville with her wife, Rachelle Studer-Byrnes, who is a faculty member in the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions, their son and a small gaggle of pets.
