November 1, 2010
Charles Cantú has been serving as dean of the School of Law since June 2007. He has raised nearly $4 million for the law school, most of which is earmarked for scholarships to attract the best and brightest students to St. Mary’s. Cantú has been a model dean in his commitment and dedication to the University’s Catholic and Marianist mission. Under his leadership, the School of Law has successfully achieved re-accreditation, and law alumni have been reinvigorated with the expansion of more chapters in Texas and beyond.
Moreover, the overall trend of both February and July exam passage rates is moving upward, indicating that once again St. Mary’s is graduating well-prepared students to become ethical practitioners of the law. Cantú received his Juris Doctorate degree from St. Mary’s in 1964. He joined the faculty in 1966 and is the longest-tenured Hispanic law professor in the country.
Janet Dizinno has led the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the largest of St. Mary’s three undergraduate schools, since 1999. Dizinno has been a strong advocate for new programs and initiatives. She was instrumental in developing the new Bachelor of Arts degree in Forensic Science with a Criminology option, and has been very active and supportive in launching the new core curriculum and the Four-Year Pledge initiative to graduate students in four years.
“St. Mary’s long-standing academic tradition stems from having the finest faculty who are student focused,” said President Cotrell. “Deans Dizinno and Cantú started in the classroom and continue today as professors teaching, engaging and inspiring students to live up to their highest potential. Their commitment to the students of their Schools is evident through their commitment to the University’s mission.”