PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Shankar K. Prasad, dean of Brown University’s School of Professional Studies since 2022, will step down effective Jan. 31 to join the senior leadership team at Carnegie, a higher education marketing and enrollment strategy firm, as chief strategy officer.
Prasad, a Brown University Ph.D. alumnus, will depart Brown after a decade-long tenure that also included appointments as deputy provost, vice president for academic innovation, and associate director of the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. Since his appointment as School of Professional Studies dean, he has led an expansion in master’s degree, professional and non-degree programs, and strengthened support for master’s students at Brown.
“Shankar has been instrumental in building on Brown’s academic strengths, delivering instruction in compelling new ways and making Brown’s world-class education accessible to a diverse range of learners across the globe,” said Brown Provost Francis J. Doyle III. “He leaves a long and successful track record of leadership and innovation, and a lasting impact on Brown priorities ranging from online education and new academic programs to global engagement efforts and support for graduate students on campus.”
As the third dean of the School of Professional Studies and Brown’s first vice president for academic innovation, Prasad provided executive oversight of SPS’s academic programs, finance and administrative operations, and student life, and worked with academic leaders across campus to develop new areas for growth and success. He developed and managed a growing portfolio of master’s degree and professional programs and created initiatives to reach learners across the globe through digital education platforms, including partnering with the School of Public Health to launch an online master of public health program, Brown’s first exclusively online degree program.
With a focus on meeting the needs of diverse learners at various stages of their professional careers, Prasad expanded Brown’s suite of non-degree programs, including corporate education programs, certificate programs and short courses that focus on rapid skill development. Additional initiatives launched under his leadership have focused on increased outreach to Brown alumni to promote learning opportunities, and wider access for University staff members to enroll in SPS professional programs.
Prasad led an expansion in support for master’s students on campus, including through the launch of a Center for Master’s Student Excellence to provide student support, professional development and career services, and alumni engagement services. To cultivate a campus-wide approach to strengthened support for master’s students, he focused on building strong collaborations with key units across Brown, including Campus Life, Global Brown and the Graduate School.