Interim Associate Deans Appointed to Permanent Roles in the College of Graduate Studies
Drs. Beatriz Reyes-Foster and Julia Listengarten have been named permanent associate deans in the UCF College of Graduate Studies, effective Aug. 8. Both have served as interim associate deans since August 2024, bringing two years of leadership and experience to their permanent roles.
In their role, Reyes-Foster will oversee student services and graduate policies and appeals. Meanwhile, Listengarten will continue to lead curriculum, interdisciplinary studies, research and scholarship, and the newly established Graduate Enrichment Mentoring Initiative (GEMiNi). Together, they will focus on advancing key priorities within the college and building on the progress made during their interim service.
As interim associate dean, Reyes-Foster led several strategic initiatives that strengthened graduate education by improving processes, increasing transparency, and enhancing student support. She led the modernization of numerous graduate policies, refined academic progress and degree certification processes, partnered across campus to improve student academic appeals and assessment systems, and implemented operational improvements that reduced processing times and corrected GPA record inaccuracies for more than 800 students. She also strengthened communication and training infrastructure, supported greater consistency in graduate policies across the university, and helped restore the Graduate Student Association’s status as a registered student organization.
Alongside her administrative leadership, Reyes-Foster continued to prioritize student mentorship, advising 15 graduate students, serving on multiple thesis and dissertation committees, and guiding students through degree completion and advancement to doctoral candidacy.
Listengarten used her time as interim associate dean to expand research and scholarship initiatives beyond thesis and dissertation administration, introducing writing retreats, workshops, graduate faculty initiatives, mentoring opportunities, and GTA professional development programming. She also led the implementation of new graduate education processes related to thesis and dissertation appeals, defense announcements, candidacy recognition, graduate faculty nominations, and ProQuest adoption.
She built partnerships across colleges and university units to strengthen graduate education infrastructure, improve communication across academic programs, and support graduate student success. She served as an ex officio member of the Graduate Council Curriculum Committee, supporting university-wide curriculum review and approval processes while working with academic programs on curriculum innovation and development. Listengarten provided leadership for the Interdisciplinary Studies MA and MS programs, including curriculum redesign, assessment initiatives, mentoring opportunities, and student engagement programming.
“During their interim service, Drs. Reyes-Foster and Listengarten significantly strengthened the College through operational modernization, student support, and program expansion. Their leadership improved academic processes, resolved critical issues for hundreds of students, and advanced curriculum development. Their shared commitment to effectiveness, transparency, and collaborative leadership provides a strong foundation for advancing the College and positioning it for continued growth and success,” said Dr. John F. Weishampel, dean of the College of Graduate Studies.
Reyes-Foster brings a strong record of scholarship and service to her role. She earned a PhD in Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley, and has been a faculty member in the UCF Department of Anthropology since 2011. Her research examines mental health and psychiatry in Mexico, as well as maternal mental health and obstetric violence in the U.S. Her work also addresses coloniality, identity, health, and the intersection of religion and biomedicine.
Her academic career has been recognized with numerous accolades in teaching, research, and service. In 2021, she was honored with the prestigious UCF Luminary Award in recognition of her contributions to the field. Her commitment to mentorship was also recently recognized with the William R. Jones Outstanding Mentor Award, Florida Education Fund, 2024-25.
Listengarten brings decades of experience in theatre and education to her position. She earned a PhD in Theatre Studies from the University of Michigan and has been part of the UCF School of Performing Arts since 1999, serving as artistic director and graduate program director, and currently as Theatre Professor. Her research interests include avant-garde theatre, applied drama, and socially engaged performance practice. She is a recipient of national grants and awards that support her community engagement projects and recognize her work with less visible populations.
She was named the Pegasus Professor in 2020 and received the UCF Luminary Award in 2022.
The UCF College of Graduate Studies advances graduate education, research, and student success across the university. The college supports more than 10,000 graduate students, 250 postdoctoral scholars, and nearly 230 graduate programs, preparing students and postdoctoral scholars to become leaders and innovators in their fields.
