Dr. Corinne Daprano

Dr. Corinne Daprano

Written by Anna Rose Redgate '20

If the School of Education and Health Sciences is a team, then Interim Dean Corinne M. Daprano, Ph.D is most certainly the captain. And a good one at that. Though she always emphasizes the importance of the “team wins” throughout her career, Dr. Daprano’s leadership has been a catalyst of change in the School of Education and Health Sciences.

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Dr. Daprano earned her B.A. in English and M.Ed. in Sports Management and Exercise Science from Cleveland State University. She went on to earn her Ph.D. in Sports Management from Ohio State University, and began her University of Dayton career in 2001. In her impressive 19-year career, Dr. Daprano has served as an Associate Professor, Department Chair, President of the Academic Senate and Interim Dean. She currently oversees and manages the personnel of the school’s six departments.

During her time as the Department Chair of Health and Sport Sciences, Dr. Daprano worked in collaboration with her colleagues to reorganize the academic majors and bring both the undergraduate nursing program and the masters of dietetics and nutrition to UD. This transformative time for the school required much collaboration across campus, spearheaded by Dr. Daprano. In her time as Academic Senate President, Dr. Daprano led, listened to, and cooperated with a diverse group composed of individuals all across campus on a weekly basis to fulfill all her responsibilities.

When asked what three qualities are most important in a good leader, Dr. Daprano stressed the importance of being a good listener, humbleness, and being collaborative. All three shine through in Dr. Daprano’s time at UD.

While there are several characteristics about Dr. Daprano that make her an outstanding leader, her ability to build collaborative and meaningful relationships with and amongst others sets her apart. She appreciates teamwork at all levels, and believes success for one member of the group is a success for all. “I believe in recognizing and celebrating that whatever [our faculty] gets done, we get done together.”

And when she’s faced with a challenge, Dr. Daprano does not back down. “I like to see the opportunity in everything. Particularly in situations when people often say ‘I don’t think this is going to happen’ or ‘We’re never going to figure this out’, I always like to say that there’s an opportunity--we just have to find it. I’m energized by challenges.”

Last year, Dr. Daprano was the 2019 recipient of the Lackner Award, an honor recognizing long-serving faculty and staff members at the University of Dayton. In his remarks, President Spina praises Dr. Daprano’s determined and thoughtful spirit. He describes her as, “...being like Mary, never hesitating to say “yes” to challenges and opportunities. [...] [She is], simply, an extraordinary community builder.”

And that is, precisely, the legacy Dr. Daprano wishes to leave at UD. Characterized by the Marianist spirit and always determined to “grit her teeth and find a way to make it possible”, Dr. Daprano navigates challenges with the natural ability to bring people together. Under her leadership, the School of Education and Health and Sports Sciences has been, and will continue to be, changed for the better.