Tri-C Announces New Chair of Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center and Scholars Academy

Constance Kassor, Ph.D., begins appointment on March 31

HIGHLAND HILLS — To help shape future generations of civic-minded leaders, Constance Kassor, Ph.D., will join Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) as the new chair of the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center and Mandel Scholars Academy.

Kassor's appointment begins on March 31.

"We look forward to the expertise and vision Dr. Kassor will bring to our institution," said Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D., the president of Tri-C. "She has a proven track record of scholarship and leadership and will elevate our work in the humanities with our students and the community."

The Mandel Humanities Center exists to advance humanistic inquiry in Northeast Ohio and to develop civic-minded leaders who have thought broadly and deeply about the human experience. Within that work, the Mandel Scholars Academy enhances the student experience by cultivating their leadership skills through a curriculum grounded in the humanities and civic engagement.

The Mandel Humanities Center was established through a generous and historic $10 million gift from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation in 2015, which continues to support the mission and development of the program, paving the way for academic excellence and empowering students to take on leadership roles within their communities.

Tri-C conducted a nationwide search for the next leader of the Humanities Center.

Kassor comes to Tri-C from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, where she has served as the special assistant to the president and an associate professor of Religious Studies. In her role as the special assistant to the president, she has been a Mellon Academic Leadership Fellow and played a pivotal role in developing programming for the Humanities Center and Digital Humanities Lab. She has worked closely with donors, faculty, staff and students to implement initiatives that prepare students for success in their future careers and lives.

As an associate professor of Religious Studies, Kassor specializes in Buddhist thought and Asian religious traditions. Her research focuses on Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, and her forthcoming book, Accounting for Awakened Awareness, delves into the Madhyamaka philosophy of 15th-century Tibetan scholar Gorampa Sonam Senge.

Kassor brings a wealth of leadership experience, having served as the director of Lawrence University’s Humanities Institute, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, Lawrence University's Main Hall Forum coordinator and the department chair of Religious Studies and East Asian Studies at Lawrence University. She has also been a visiting professor at Smith College, Amherst College, Hampshire College and the Rangjung Yeshe Institute at Kathmandu University. Additionally, Kassor has designed and led intensive study-abroad experiences focused on Buddhist philosophy and Tibetan studies.

She earned her B.A. in Philosophy and Buddhist Studies from Smith College in 2005 and her Ph.D. in Religious Studies (West and South Asian Religions) from Emory University in 2014.

March 03, 2025

MEDIA CONTACT: Anthony Moujaes, 216-987-3068 or anthony.moujaes@tri-c.edu