Nicole C. Polen-Petit, Ph.D.

Nicole C. Polen-Petit, Ph.D., is Dean of the School of Arts, Letters, and Sciences at National University, where she leads nearly two dozen programs spanning associate to master’s degrees across the arts and humanities, mathematics, natural sciences, and social and psychological sciences. With more than 25 years in higher education, her work centers on advancing educational pathways that serve non-traditional, working, and military-affiliated students. An advocate for the enduring relevance of the liberal arts, she works collaboratively with faculty to integrate general education across disciplines so students develop durable skills in communication, critical thinking, evaluation, and collaboration while becoming ethical global citizens. Before becoming Dean at NU, Nicole served as Associate Dean, Professor, and Academic Program Director, and has taught across community colleges, public, and private universities. She previously directed programs focused on early childhood intervention. She earned her Ph.D. in Human Development and M.S. in Child Development from the University of California, Davis, and her B.A. in Psychology from Whitworth University.