New Academic Dean assumes duties at St. Vladimir’s Seminary
During the last week of October 2018, Dr. Ionuţ-Alexandru Tudorie, newly appointed Academic Dean at Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary [SVOTS], arrived in the United States from Romania and began his new duties on the school’s Yonkers, NY campus. Accompanying him were his wife Denisa and their daughters Sophia and Theodora.
As announced earlier, Dr. Tudorie was selected for the position by the Seminary’s Board of Trustees on July 18, 2018 after the Academic Dean Search Committee had narrowed down the list of possible candidates to two. The announcement brought to a close the extended and carefully undertaken search process that started at the beginning of the 2017-2018 academic year.
“There is no doubt that Dr. Tudorie brings with him extraordinary gifts and achievements that will benefit the seminary greatly,” said Archpriest Chad Hatfield, President of SVOTS. “Coming from Europe, he follows in a long-standing SVOTS tradition of importing ‘rising stars’ from abroad.”
Dr. Tudorie, 41, has most recently served as Professor of Byzantine History and Medieval Church History at the University of Bucharest. He brings expertise in Church History, Byzantine Studies, and Patristics to SVOTS, in addition to proficiency in multiple languages. He holds doctorates in both Theology and History from the University of Bucharest. Additionally, he has served as the Director of two advanced research projects, Secretary of his department and member of the University’s Commission for Quality Education. His research has received financial and intellectual support from prestigious international institutions, including the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study, Dumbarton Oaks Library and Collection, New Europe College, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Romanian Academy, National Council for Scientific Research, and the University of Bucharest’s Institute for Research in Humanities. He comes to SVOTS highly recommended by scholars at Dumbarton Oaks. He is the author of many publications and scholarly works. [See detailed listing.]
Dr. Tudorie is the first academic dean of SVOTS under the school’s new governance model, which was adopted in 2016. The position differs from the defined role of the Seminary Dean prior to the new governance model. As such, Dr. Tudorie serves as the Chief Academic Officer, whose primary responsibilities are to lead and supervise the faculty and to oversee all academic activities under the supervision of the Seminary’s President. The academic dean is appointed by the Board of Trustees and reports directly to the President.
“The challenges that the Church is facing in the 21st century require from an institution of theological higher learning a very clear strategy towards its programs of study,” said Dr. Tudorie. “I believe that my experience will facilitate my transition into the academic leadership role required to help carry out this important work.”