Extraordinary leaders propel programs to new heights. As dean of the Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences from 2011 to 2019, Jeff McCubbin had a lasting impact on the growth of the college.
McCubbin flourished as a leader, continually spearheading new initiatives to expand the college and its reputation at CSU and beyond. Because of his dedication to excellence and vision to move the College forward, McCubbin is being celebrated as a 2023 College of Health and Human Sciences Legacies Project honoree.
“Under Jeff’s leadership, the College experienced outstanding growth in many areas including research expenditures, new facilities, and external private support,” said Dean Lise Youngblade. “His accomplishments and his mentorship have set the stage for the success of the college for many years to come and we are so pleased to honor him through the Legacies Project.”
Early education and career
McCubbin attended East Stroudsburg State College in Pennsylvania, earning an undergraduate degree in physical education in 1976. With the disability rights movement of the 1970s, McCubbin’s advisor at East Stroudsburg State introduced him to serving diverse populations and traditionally underserved communities, specifically focusing on their health.
McCubbin went on to earn his master’s degree in special physical education in 1977 from the University of Connecticut. In 1983 he attained a Ph.D. in exercise science and special populations from the University of Virginia.
In 1983, he accepted a post-doc position at The Ohio State University. Shortly thereafter, McCubbin assumed an assistant professor role at Texas Christian University in 1986.
After two years at TCU, McCubbin took a faculty position at Oregon State University in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences. During his 23 years at Oregon State, he moved to an administrative role as the executive associate dean of research and graduate studies and became a University Distinguished Professor of Exercise Science, the first ever in his college.
Transformation of the college
The change and expansion that McCubbin worked to create also revolved around the mission of the college.
After a national search in 2011, McCubbin was selected by CSU to serve as dean of the College of Applied Human Sciences.
As Dean, McCubbin oversaw re-branding the College from Applied Human Sciences to Health and Human Sciences in 2012. He helped lead CSU in the State Your Purpose Campaign, raising nearly $83 million in private support for the College.
“When there was conversation about a name change, it was to focus on the health aspect of the College of Applied Sciences where I thought our centralizing theme was to improve the quality of life of people,” said McCubbin.
He also brought many updates and changes to the College’s communications, including a website redesign, allowing for more straightforward navigation and information sharing and improved accessibility for people with disabilities. He supported increased communication with internal and external audiences, including alumni, donors, retirees, and faculty emeriti; and growth in the social media presence of the college and its units.
New programs and additions in the college
During his time as dean, McCubbin directed the transformation of several key College spaces, classrooms, and labs, including the building of the Avenir Museum of Design and Merchandising, the Nancy Richardson Design Center, the renovation of the Human Performance Clinical Research Lab, the Fermentation Science labs, including the microbrewery in the Lory Student Center, and the across-campus move of the Early Childhood Center to the Washington School.
“The shining star in my lens would be the Nancy Richardson Design Center,” said McCubbin.
The addition of the Nancy Richardson Design Center revolved around the College’s ambition to expand opportunity and collaboration at CSU.
“Jeff and I met in 2014, and we both agreed that collaboration and multi-disciplinary learning is the best approach to projects and design thinking,” said Nancy Richardson. “If not for Jeff’s vision, I know the Richardson Design Center would never be built.”
Along with the new design center, McCubbin worked to expand research in the College, allowing for faculty, staff, and students to optimize their time at CSU and conduct beneficial research.
Highlights as dean
While serving as dean, McCubbin was passionate about increasing engagement with alumni, faculty, and students by launching several programs, councils, and projects, including:
- Executive Leadership Council (ExLC) – In 2012, McCubbin spearheaded the Executive Leadership Council, a group of valued alumni and friends representing each department and school. Celebrating ten years in 2022, ExLC members have helped transform and advance the goals of the College through community outreach, partnership development, and financial support.
- Legacies and Leaders – Along with a group of engaged faculty emeriti, McCubbin helped to envision the Legacies Project to preserve the history of the College and strengthen bonds among active and retired faculty and staff.
- Deans Leadership Council – Caring deeply for students’ success and achievement, McCubbin loved working with the Deans Leadership Council, a student organization in CHHS that works with the Dean’s office to encourage the forward growth of students within CHHS.
A lasting impact
McCubbin’s time as dean revolved around leading the College to have expanded research opportunities, changes in curriculum, and new, groundbreaking facilities. His time at CSU was also profound because of his innate ability to lead and his progressive vision toward the future of research and education at CSU.
“He came in and was so prepared, he could talk about each department and how they connected to the mission we had in mind,” said Rich Feller, professor emeritus for the School of Education at CSU.
“Jeff got us to look differently at our campus, to look differently at our college, to get a clarity of where we are going and gave us a vision. We are in a much better place because he was here. I am grateful to have worked with him,” said Feller. “Jeff is a great person, and a great friend, he treated people with great dignity.”
McCubbin’s outstanding legacy of leadership is recognized through the College of Health and Human Sciences Legacies Project. To watch a video about McCubbin and to make a gift in his honor, go to his Legacies webpage. Donations will go toward the McCubbin Cardiac Rehab Internship Success Fund, which will provide stipends and salaries for students in the Department of Health and Exercise Science interning at a Cardiac Rehab Center at UCHealth, or the McCubbin Leadership Scholarship which supports CHHS students.
About the Legacies Project
The College of Health and Human Sciences Legacies Project honors the personal and professional histories of former faculty, staff, and alumni of the College. The project has highlighted the achievements of our honorees and preserved their stories since 2012.
