Worthy named associate dean for academic programs

Sheri Worthy, who previously served as head of the department of financial planning, housing and consumer economics in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, has begun her tenure as associate dean for academic programs.

She succeeds Patricia Hunt-Hurst, who retired in December 2020.

“I am honored to be named the associate dean for academic programs for the College of Family and Consumer Sciences and look forward to working with faculty, staff, and students across the college,” Worthy said. “I am excited to help lead the college toward fulfilling our 2025 Strategic Plan, meeting our accreditation requirements and accomplishing our undergraduate and graduate education goals.”

Worthy arrived at UGA in 2013, having previously served as professor in the Mississippi State University School of Human Sciences.

As department head, Worthy has a proven record of leadership in academic programs, including: expanding the Double Dawgs accelerated master’s degree and online financial planning programs; serving on the UGA Entrepreneurship Certificate Advisory Board; and serving on curriculum committees, among others.

As a longtime member of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS), Worthy will keep the college on task with meeting requirements for maintaining this accreditation, FACS Dean Linda Kirk Fox said.

Worthy holds a bachelor’s degree in advertising from the University of North Dakota, an MBA in marketing from the University of Minnesota and a Ph.D. in consumer economics from Texas Tech University.

In 2018, she was appointed as the first recipient of the Samuel A. and Sharon Y. Nickols Professorship.

Swarn Chatterjee, the Bluerock Professor of Financial Planning in the department of financial planning, housing and consumer economics, will serve a one-year term as interim department head while a search committee is formed to identify Worthy’s successor.

“We are excited to have Sheri fill this important role in our college,” Fox said. “She has provided outstanding leadership during her time as department head and her history of collaboration and innovation will serve her well in this this position as associate dean for academic programs.”