The Clinton School of Public Service has announced that Academic Dean Susan Hoffpauir has been awarded Emeritus status in recognition of her distinguished career in higher education and public service.
“Being at the Clinton School has been an honor and a joy,” Hoffpauir said. “The projects undertaken by the amazing staff, faculty, students, and alumni have positively impacted people’s lives and built the capacity of organizations and communities. It has been a dream job and I feel incredibly lucky to have been a part of it.”
Hoffpauir, who will retire at the end of the academic year, has served in academic leadership for more than 35 years, including two decades across the University of Arkansas System. Her career began in social work education, where she played a pivotal role in developing UA Little Rock’s Social Work program and guiding its Master of Social Work program through reaccreditation.
As Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Policy and Assessment at UA Little Rock, Hoffpauir championed student success initiatives, helped establish the institution as a military-friendly campus, and led innovative programs that continue to serve students today. Her leadership extended beyond campus through her work with the Arkansas Department of Higher Education and other statewide academic initiatives.
Since joining the Clinton School in 2011, Hoffpauir has helped transform the academic experience.
Under her guidance, the school expanded its fieldwork globally, launched a fully online Master of Public Service program, and implemented critical curriculum revisions that enhanced student and community partner engagement.
“I am grateful and fortunate to have worked alongside Dean Hoffpauir during my first three years at the Clinton School,” Dean Victoria DeFrancesco Soto said. “Her vision has helped shape our academic curriculum, both in the classroom and through our field service projects, and her retirement marks the close of a transformative chapter in the school’s history. Her leadership will leave an enduring impact on the Clinton School.”
In addition to her work with students and faculty, Hoffpauir served as the Clinton School’s Interim Dean from June 2021 through January 2022.
Hoffpauir was formally recognized with Emeritus status during an Alumni Weekend reception attended by colleagues and graduates who have been impacted by her leadership and commitment to service. University of Arkansas System President Jay Silveria presented Hoffpauir with a plaque commemorating her Emeritus honor.
“Dean Hoffpauir’s work has always been thoughtful, collaborative, and grounded in service to others, hallmarks of true public service leadership,” Silveria said. “Those qualities are not only her legacy; they live on in the students she’s guided.”
Hoffpauir completed her bachelor’s degree in social welfare at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. She earned a master of social work from Michigan State University before earning her master of arts in developmental psychology and Ph.D. in social work and social science from the University of Michigan. She completed a professional development program at the Harvard Institute of Management and Leadership Education.
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