Meet the Dean

Dr. Carolyn Gentle-Genitty is a highly accomplished executive and international research scholar, spanning 25 years in higher education, social work, academic affairs, and leadership roles. She has been involved in constructing policy action statements, optimizing standard operating procedures, cultivating visions for long-term institutional change, emphasizing shared ownership of change, embedding performance evaluations around expected change, and creating articulated policy practices. 

Gentle-Genitty grew up in Belize as the eldest of five children whose parents operated a food cart and canteen and valued service and education. She paid for her associate degree through work study, earned a full scholarship to cover the cost of her bachelor’s degree, and paid for her master’s degree through a promissory loan. 

Gentle-Genitty moved to Indianapolis in 2004 after earning an undergraduate and master’s degree in Social Work from Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky, and spending nearly five years leading the YMCA of Belize. After earning her doctoral degree in Social Work from Indiana University (IU), she went on to lead the University’s Bachelor of Social Work program on the Indianapolis campus before moving into system-wide leadership roles, including developing online education programs, overseeing academic policy and programs, and improving transfer policies. 

During her time working to streamline the transfer process, IU grew its first-generation transfer students by 5 percent and adult learners by 23 percent. In her most recent role leading university academic policy, the office vetted, approved, and supported the implementation of 1,200 credentials and 30 new-to-the-state degrees. 

Gentle-Genitty is an alumna of HERS, a national development program for women in higher education, and Next Generation of Leaders, a prestigious IU leadership training program. She also recently completed a yearlong leadership fellowship with the American Council on Education, where she was embedded at the University of Southern New Hampshire and University of Colorado Denver to prepare for campus leadership. 

Gentle-Genitty joined Butler University as the inaugural Dean of Founder’s College on June 3, 2024.