BOONE, N.C. — Recognized for their service to and lasting impact on Appalachian State University’s academic community, Dr. Rose Mary Webb and Dr. Shanshan Lou have been honored as this year’s Departmental Leadership Awards recipients.

Webb, chair of App State’s Department of Psychology, received the Distinguished Leadership Award, which recognizes a department chair who has served in the role for three or more years and has demonstrated exceptional leadership in advancing faculty, staff, students and programs in their department.

Lou, chair of App State’s Department of Communication, received the Emerging Leader Award, which recognizes a department chair who has shown outstanding achievements in advancing faculty, staff, students and programs within their first two years of assuming their leadership role.

App State’s Division of Academic Affairs instituted the Departmental Leadership Awards Program in 2024 and presented the second annual awards to Webb and Lou in July, during the Chancellor’s Chair Summer Institute.

About the awards winners

Dr. Rose Mary Webb

Webb, a professor in the Department of Psychology, joined App State’s faculty in 2005. She was named department chair in 2018, after serving as interim chair for one year.

According to one of her nominators, under Webb’s leadership as chair, the department has increased its number of undergraduate psychology majors by more than 63%. Also during her tenure, the university established its clinical psychology doctoral program in 2019, which earned accreditation in 2024 and will grant its first degrees this month. In addition, she implemented undergraduate psychology degree programs at the App State Hickory campus and coordinated with other university departments to offer psychology courses for their App State Online Flight Path programs through Project Kitty Hawk — a statewide initiative to expand higher education access for millions of working adults in North Carolina.

Dr. Mike Madritch, dean of App State’s College of Arts and Sciences, commended Webb’s exceptional leadership, highlighting her ability to navigate challenges — including the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Helene — while still achieving meaningful progress for the department and its students, faculty and staff.

“Dr. Webb fosters a supportive and collegial environment where all members feel valued,” said Madritch. “Her democratic leadership style, combined with a keen ability to match individuals to tasks where they can excel, has been pivotal to the department’s success. She is an outstanding advocate for her department, collaborates effectively with other university leaders, leads by example and has an unmatched work ethic.”

At App State, Webb has received numerous research and teaching awards, including two Graduate Research Associate Mentoring awards, and she has chaired or served on more than 50 graduate thesis and dissertation committees. Her research interests include how people form perceptions of the personality and competence of both themselves and others, and how differences in personality and ability profiles predict educational-vocational trajectories.

Webb holds bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and psychology from Arkansas Tech University and master’s and doctoral degrees in quantitative psychology from Vanderbilt University.

Dr. Shanshan Lou

Lou is a professor in App State’s Department of Communication and has served as department chair for two years.

According to one of her nominators, since becoming chair, Lou has helped the department launch an advertising online minor, and she is assisting with the development of a new minor in health communication. Additionally, Lou has coordinated events to revitalize alumni and donor engagement, and she has positioned the department to contribute to the university’s research goals through her support of grant activity, the review of graduate offerings and plans for academic delivery at the Hickory campus.

Dr. James Douthit, interim dean of App State’s College of Fine and Applied Arts, described Lou’s ability to lead multiple programs, as well as student media outlets and organizations, as extraordinary — particularly during a time of institutional change and opportunity.

“She stepped into this complexity with confidence and care, immediately building relationships across areas, aligning departmental goals with the university’s strategic priorities and fostering a renewed sense of mission,” said Douthit. “In every interaction, Dr. Lou demonstrates not only intellectual acuity and strategic foresight but also empathy and humility — hallmarks of a leader whose impact will resonate for years to come.”

Lou is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Advertising, the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, the Broadcast Education Association and the International Communication Association. Her research interests include advertising effects, interactive advertising, social media, new media technologies and consumer behavior.

Lou holds a bachelor’s degree in advertising from Zhejiang Gongshang University, a master’s degree in communication from Morehead State University and a doctoral degree in mass communication from Ohio University.

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About the College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at Appalachian State University is home to 17 academic departments, two centers and one residential college. These units span the humanities and the social, mathematical and natural sciences. CAS aims to develop a distinctive identity built upon our university's strengths, traditions and locations. The college’s values lie not only in service to the university and local community, but through inspiring, training, educating and sustaining the development of its students as global citizens. More than 6,800 student majors are enrolled in the college. As the college is also largely responsible for implementing App State’s general education curriculum, it is heavily involved in the education of all students at the university, including those pursuing majors in other colleges. Learn more at https://cas.appstate.edu.

About the College of Fine and Applied Arts

Appalachian State University’s College of Fine and Applied Arts is a dynamic and innovative group of seven academic departments, bringing together a variety of perspectives, experiences and real-world education to provide unique opportunities for student success. The college has more than 3,500 undergraduate and graduate majors. Its departments are Applied Design, Art, Communication, Military Science and Leadership, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment, and Theatre and Dance. Learn more at https://cfaa.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.