Sarah Rajala, dean of the Bagley College of Engineering, will further her professional career as the dean of engineering at Iowa State University on April 1.
A search committee in charge of recruiting the next dean was formed by Provost Jerry Gilbert and is chaired by Don Zant, Budget and Planning vice president.
Donna Reese, Computer Science and Engineering Department head, said a search committee is usually created when a dean leaves Mississippi State University, and another dean chairs the committee.
“Dr. Gilbert knows engineering is very valuable,” Reese said.
Half-elected and half-approved representatives make up the committee, including several department heads, faculty members and at least one student representative.
“They are trying to satisfy diversity between ranks, departments and faculty and administrations,” Reese said.
The new dean of engineering could be from inside the College of Engineering or from outside MSU.
“We are trying to attract the best people we can,” Reese said.
An external search firm assists the Provost to aid the search for the next dean. This will give the search committee a bigger pond of candidates to choose from to find the most suitable candidate.
“That company can stir up candidates we didn’t know about, and it’s a good opportunity for people who did not think about taking the job,” Reese said.
In case a suitable candidate is not found before Rajala leaves in April, the provost will serve as the interim dean of the College of Engineering.
“The search should not affect academics,” Reese said. “It’s mainly at the department level.”
Rajala has served as the dean of engineering since June 2008.  She was the electrical computer engineering department head before being promoted to dean.
“She has been a great dean,” Reese said.
In a male-dominated major and profession, Rajala was the first female dean of the College of Engineering at MSU.
“She has focused on undergraduate education, especially underrepresented groups,” Reese said.
One of the most prominent underrepresented groups of students in the college is women.
Devin Hedglin, senior industrial engineering major, said there are more male engineering majors than female, but she has never been the only girl in class.
“It’s only around 15 to 20 percent girls,” Hedglin said.
Some concentrations and emphases have higher female students than others.
Mandy Cote, senior mechanical engineering major, said she started as a chemical engineering major before switching to mechanical.
“There were more girls in chemical than mechanical, but I wasn’t going to let that influence my decision,” Cote said.
During her time as dean, Rajala created and used a diversity council to support, attract and retain engineering minority group students.
Ashlyn Mendrop, sophomore biological engineering major, said sometimes she feels strange being one of the only girls but she believes being an engineering minority will help her find a job after her graduation.