Mark E. Hanshaw, Ph.D., associate professor of comparative religious studies, has been named associate dean of the School of Arts and Letters. He is in his eighth year of service at Texas Wesleyan University.

In this new role, Hanshaw will work with the dean of the School of Arts and Letters, Steve Daniell, on a number of priorities, including assessment, program self-study audits, international programming and others. In addition, Hanshaw will lead the QEP program. 

Hanshaw has been deeply involved in the academic life of the University, having served as the chair of the Faculty Assembly, chair of the Department of Religion and Humanities, and in a leadership role on various administrative task forces and faculty committees, prior to assuming this new post. Additionally, Hanshaw has worked within his department and through CETL to enhance and expand online education opportunities across campus. 

"Mark has contributed a great deal to the academic landscape of Texas Wesleyan," said Daniell. "He is a popular instructor in the classroom, but he has also worked administratively to enhance our curricular offerings and to support students. He is the sort of leader that exemplifies the Wesleyan spirit." 

As associate dean, Hanshaw will work with the varied departments that make up the School of Arts and Letters and will be engaged with various campus-wide initiatives.

Hanshaw holds a Ph.D. in comparative ethics and religious studies from Southern Methodist University. He also holds a J.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Law and master’s degrees from both The University of Manchester and Texas Christian University.

Hanshaw is both a former Fulbright Fellow and a former Rotary Fellow. He received the Board of Trustees Award for Scholarship in 2011-12 and recently was awarded a Silver Remi from the Houston International Film Festival for a short documentary entitled, "A Day with the Tao." He has authored the texts Religion in the Midst of Life: A Study of Global Religions and Muslim and American? The Intersection of American Justice and Islamic Law. 

He lives in Bedford with his wife, Yvette, and son, Mark, Jr.