Our Dean
Message from the Dean
Dear Prospective Students, Parents and Members of the Honors College Community,
It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to The University of Alabama Honors College, where excellence, innovation and community thrive. As the Dean, I am honored to lead a vibrant and dynamic community of scholars who are passionate about exploring multiple fields of study, embracing transdisciplinary approaches to learning and making a positive impact in the world.
At UA Honors, we are committed to providing an unparalleled educational experience that prepares students to excel in an ever-changing global landscape. From our innovative academic programs and cutting-edge research opportunities to our immersive study abroad experiences and personalized support services, we offer a wealth of resources and opportunities designed to empower students to reach their fullest potential. Our commitment to personalized support ensures that every student receives the guidance and assistance they need to succeed academically and personally, fostering a strong sense of belonging and pride within our community.
As you explore our website and learn more about UA Honors, I invite you to discover what sets us apart and makes us a premier destination for the best and brightest students across the country. Whether you are drawn to our transdisciplinary approach to education, our vibrant community engagement initiatives or our commitment to leadership development, we are confident that you will find a home here at UA Honors. Join us as we continue to push boundaries, challenge conventions and unlock new possibilities together.
With Warm Regards,
Dr. Tiffany A. Sippial
Associate Provost, Undergraduate Education
Dean, Honors College
About Our Dean
Dr. Tiffany A. Sippial is a distinguished scholar, academic leader and university administrator with nationally recognized expertise in Cuban history, Latin American studies and transformative undergraduate education. She serves as Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education, Dean of the Honors College and Professor of History at The University of Alabama.
As Associate Provost, Dr. Sippial provides university-wide strategic leadership for undergraduate education, overseeing key priorities related to academic policy, curriculum, advising, student success, academic integrity and institutional coordination. In this role, she chairs major governance bodies, guides undergraduate academic strategy and works collaboratively across colleges and administrative units to strengthen the systems that shape the undergraduate experience. She has played a central role in reimagining the future structure of undergraduate education at The University of Alabama, helping design a more integrated Office of Undergraduate Education that aligns advising, onboarding, curriculum, policy and assessment within a cohesive institutional framework. Through this work, Dr. Sippial is helping shape the university’s long-term academic infrastructure, positioning undergraduate education as a more strategic, coordinated and student-centered enterprise.
As Dean of the Honors College, Dr. Sippial leads one of the largest and most dynamic honors colleges in the nation, serving more than 7,000 high-achieving students. Under her leadership, the Honors College has advanced a bold vision centered on innovation, experiential learning and national distinction. She oversees a comprehensive academic enterprise that includes four flagship academic programs, six partner programs, the Kennemer Center for Innovation and Social Impact, the Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships and a growing portfolio of nationally distinctive student opportunities.
Since joining The University of Alabama, Dr. Sippial has helped guide transformative initiatives that have elevated the Honors College’s strategic direction and national profile. Most notably, she spearheaded Honors Forward, the College’s first comprehensive strategic plan, developed through an extensive 16-month collaborative process involving students, faculty, staff, alumni and stakeholders. This vision now guides the College’s trajectory through 2030 and has positioned Honors as a national model for public flagship honors education, with a strong emphasis on developing students as thinkers, citizens and leaders.
Under Dr. Sippial’s leadership, the Honors College team has achieved significant measurable impact. Honors now supports more than 7,300 students annually and has expanded experiential learning opportunities, generating over 3,200 service hours through partnerships with more than 25 community organizations and schools. The Honors Capstone Experience has grown substantially, supporting nearly 200 major projects annually, including initiatives addressing critical challenges in Alabama communities. Strategic improvements to student success infrastructure have also contributed to measurable gains in retention, reductions in probation, and improved holistic student support. Honors faculty and staff have likewise expanded the College’s public intellectual footprint through initiatives such as The Sixth Avenue Journal, a distinctive platform for student and faculty thought leadership, scholarship and experiential publishing.
Her tenure has also been marked by significant progress and momentum in advancement and long-term resource development. During the university’s recent capital campaign, the Honors College, working in close partnership with University Advancement, alumni and donor communities, generated more than $21 million in philanthropic support to strengthen scholarships, endowed programming, innovation initiatives and future growth. Dr. Sippial has also helped guide the successful implementation of a transformative Honors College fee structure that provides recurring support for faculty expansion, student services and strategic priorities. In addition, she is helping advance major capital and infrastructure initiatives, including the planned renovation of Honors Hall and the development of the Idea Lab, a multidisciplinary innovation hub designed to expand undergraduate research, experiential learning and collaborative problem-solving.
Dr. Sippial’s institutional leadership extends well beyond the Honors College to the broader undergraduate enterprise at The University of Alabama. In her role as Associate Provost, she has helped guide major university-wide initiatives related to advising strategy, academic policy, curriculum oversight, student support systems and long-term undergraduate organizational design. Her leadership has contributed to the development of the Advising Scorecard Working Group, student-centered academic policy reform, the creation of a formal Student Bereavement policy framework and the broader reimagining of undergraduate education infrastructure through a more integrated and strategically aligned Office of Undergraduate Education. Through this work, Dr. Sippial is helping shape a more coordinated, innovative and student-centered future for undergraduate education across the university. In addition to her broader academic leadership, Dr. Sippial serves as Chair of the Council on Community-Based Partnerships (CCBP), helping support university-wide efforts to strengthen civic engagement, experiential learning and strategic community collaboration.
Dr. Sippial, a recognized historian, is the award-winning author of Prostitution, Modernity, and the Making of the Cuban Republic, 1840–1920 (University of North Carolina Press, 2013), which received the Alfred B. Thomas Book Award and was supported by the Albert J. Beveridge Grant for Research in the History of the Western Hemisphere, and Celia Sánchez Manduley: The Life and Legacy of a Cuban Revolutionary (University of North Carolina Press, 2020). Her scholarship explores the intersections of gender, race, power and identity in Cuban and Latin American history. She has contributed to public scholarship through national media, podcasts and historical consulting, including work with PBS’s Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Before joining The University of Alabama, Dr. Sippial held leadership roles at Auburn University, including Director of the Honors College and Director of Graduate Studies in History, roles in which she expanded academic programming and strengthened opportunities for students and faculty.
Dr. Sippial holds bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and Art History from Southwestern University, where she graduated magna cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She earned an M.A. in Latin American Studies and completed a Ph.D. in Latin American History at the University of New Mexico, graduating with distinction. Her scholarship and leadership have been recognized with numerous prestigious honors, including the Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Fellowship, the Albert J. Beveridge Grant for Research in the History of the Western Hemisphere, the Alfred B. Thomas Book Award, Auburn University’s Inclusive Excellence Award and multiple awards for excellence in teaching, scholarship and academic leadership. She was also selected to participate in both the HERS Leadership Institute and the SECU Academic Leadership Development Program.
Known for her clarity, strategic vision and collaborative leadership, Dr. Sippial is committed to advancing undergraduate education, fostering innovation and building academic communities where students, faculty and staff can thrive. Her work reflects a deep belief in the power of higher education to shape lives, strengthen institutions and serve the public good.