Cecily Swanson, who oversees advising for bachelor of arts students across Princeton University, has been appointed the next associate dean for undergraduate affairs for the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Her appointment begins July 21 when she succeeds Peter Bogucki who will retire June 30 after 31 years in the role.
Swanson has served as associate dean for academic advising in the Office of the Dean of the College since 2020. At the engineering school, she will oversee the advising and academic standing of students pursuing the bachelor of science in engineering degree. She also will be responsible for oversight of undergraduate awards, professional development, and international experiences for engineering students as well as the accreditation of Princeton’s engineering programs.
“We are thrilled to have Cecily join the engineering school as our new associate dean for undergraduate affairs,” said Andrea Goldsmith, dean of engineering. “Her long and successful tenure at Princeton, her commitment to undergraduate success, her creativity and initiative, and her warm and caring approach to students and colleagues position her well to guide our students and programs to ongoing success.”
In stepping into the new role, Swanson said she looks forward to helping students balance the demands of their chosen field with the opportunity to explore a broad range of subjects. The opportunity for students to integrate their interests across engineering and the liberal arts is a great strength of Princeton and fuels creativity, she said. “I am always interested in how our professors, our students and our curriculum make these incredible constellations of experiences possible,” she said.
Swanson and Bogucki have worked closely together to ensure consistency across A.B. and B.S.E. advising. Such coordination is increasingly important as the number of students majoring in engineering has surpassed 30% of all Princeton undergraduates.
Swanson has worked at Princeton since 2014. Before joining the Office of the Dean of the College, she was director of studies at Mathey College and a lecturer in the Princeton Writing Program. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English literature at Reed College and her Ph.D. in English literature from Cornell University.
With an academic background in the humanities, Swanson follows the precedent of previous associate deans of undergraduate affairs in engineering. Bogucki is an archaeologist who has made important contributions in his field, and his predecessor, Harold McCulloch Jr., was a classicist. Bogucki said it is important for the person in this role to appreciate the breadth of engineering education, and Swanson’s academic and professional backgrounds provide an essential perspective.
Goldsmith said Bogucki’s broad and measured perspective has been key to his success in the role. “I cannot find words sufficient to express my gratitude to Peter for his contributions to our B.S.E. program,” she said. Over more than three decades, “he has been instrumental in increasing the impact of our undergraduate program due to his deep knowledge about Princeton, his strong working relationships with key partners across the University, his compassion and care for the students, his delightful sense of humor, his attention to detail, and his magical ability to navigate all issues that arise, large and small, regarding our undergraduates.”
Swanson said she is excited to benefit from Bogucki’s knowledge as she helps guide students whose experiences with academic and life choices are just beginning. Bogucki and Swanson’s own careers demonstrate that academic concentrations support but do not define opportunities later in life. “Students really do change their minds about their academic pursuits, and they don’t necessarily understand the degree to which that will happen when they arrive here,” she said. “They are not straying from a goal but they are finding new pathways toward their goal.”
