Croney named associate vice provost for the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging

Candace Croney

Candace Croney, professor and director of the Center for Animal Welfare Science in the colleges of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture at Purdue, has been named associate vice provost for the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging. Croney’s appointment is effective immediately. In her new role, Croney will report to John Gates, vice provost for diversity and inclusion. Croney will maintain a 50% faculty appointment in her home colleges.

“I am incredibly excited for Dr. Croney to join our team,” Gates says. “Her efforts will be crucial as we work to implement the recommendations of the Equity Task Force.”

Croney will have specific responsibility for faculty- and staff-facing educational and professional development opportunities, including those related to recruitment and success. She also will focus on teaching and learning initiatives, external institutional and community partnerships and research and other forms of scholarly engagement. Additionally, she will work to strategically align efforts across colleges and pursue and guide external funding.

“I’m honored by this appointment and excited by the challenge it presents — to help Purdue be innovative about inclusive excellence and cultivating a campus community where every Boilermaker experiences the sense of belonging we all need to thrive, ” Croney says.

Croney came to Purdue in December 2011 after holding the position of associate professor of preventive medicine in the College of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University. She was assistant and associate professor of animal behavior and bioethics in animal sciences at Oregon State University, where she co-chaired the Association of Faculty and Staff for the Advancement of People of Color for several years and was instrumental in developing Oregon State’s Search Advocate curriculum. She earned her master’s and doctoral degrees from The Pennsylvania State University, where she is an adjunct professor. She received her bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University.

Croney has received numerous awards and honors, including Purdue University’s Seed for Success Award and the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Excellence in the Scholarship of Engagement Award, and she is a Purdue University Faculty Scholar.  Her research on applied animal behavior and bioethics illustrates how integrating principles of equity, diversity and inclusion can facilitate socially just and sustainable food production systems and equitable access to the benefits of the human-animal bond. She has provided related leadership for diverse multinational corporate boards and professional organizations.