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 diverse 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
Dean of Honors College
About Our Dean
Dr. Tiffany A. Sippial is a scholar and academic leader with recognized expertise in Cuban history, Latin American studies, and university administration. She serves as Dean of the Honors College at The University of Alabama and holds the rank of Professor of History. An award-winning author of two books, her scholarship explores the operation of power in Cuban and Latin American history.
As Dean, Dr. Sippial leads one of the largest Honors Colleges in the nation, serving more than 7,000 high-achieving students with a mean ACT score of 33.4 and an average GPA of 4.4. A strategic vision for academic innovation, student engagement, and institutional advancement defines her leadership. She works closely with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and campus partners to ensure the Honors College remains a national leader in transformative undergraduate education.
Dr. Sippial oversees the Honors College’s academic and administrative operations—including four educational programs, six partner programs, the Kennemer Center for Innovation and Social Impact, and the Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships. She leads a dedicated team of faculty and staff guided by a strong commitment to expanding opportunity for students. During her tenure, the Honors College has launched several key initiatives to enhance the student experience and elevate its national reputation. These include a comprehensive strategic planning process that charts the College’s trajectory through 2030, an organizational restructuring to improve internal communication and efficiency, and an annual reporting process to ensure alignment and accountability across all units.
Under Dr. Sippial’s leadership, the Honors College experienced its most successful fundraising year, securing $7.7 million in 2023–2024. These funds have expanded student scholarships and endowed academic programs. She also partnered with University Counseling Services to embed a licensed therapist within the Honors College, improving students’ access to mental health care.
Her commitment to academic innovation is reflected in the launch of the Honors Pedagogy Institute, which supports interdisciplinary collaboration and inventive teaching practices among selected faculty fellows. She supported the creation of new strategic roles—such as the Director of Experiential Education—to deepen student learning through research and co-curricular engagement. Under her direction, the Achieve Scholars Program was launched as the nation’s first four-year, transdisciplinary undergraduate research program for students from underrepresented backgrounds. She has also developed and led immersive international study programs to Cuba and has presented nationally on globalizing honors education and pedagogy.
Dr. Sippial is also advancing the College’s physical infrastructure through plans to renovate Honors Hall. Architectural renderings are complete, and early fundraising efforts are underway to bring this vision to life. Her team’s efforts to build community and celebrate student achievement include the launch of the inaugural Honors Scholarship Dinner, which recognized more than $200,000 in student awards, and creating eight annual awards presented at a newly established Honors College Awards Ceremony.
A recognized historian, Dr. Sippial is the author of two acclaimed books: Prostitution, Modernity, and the Making of the Cuban Republic, 1840–1920 (UNC Press, 2013), which received the Alfred B. Thomas Award from the Southeastern Council of Latin American Studies (SECOLAS) and Celia Sánchez Manduley: The Life and Legacy of a Cuban Revolutionary (UNC Press, 2020). Her work has been featured in national and international outlets, including podcasts and public history forums. She served as a historical consultant for the PBS series Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Her public writing has appeared on platforms such as History News Network and the UNC Press Blog, where she shares insights on Cuban history, leadership, and historical memory. In addition to her academic writing, she has published short fiction, including “Malecón Memories” in Flash: The International Short-Short Story Magazine.
She earned her bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and Art History from Southwestern University, graduating magna cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She completed her M.A. in Latin American Studies and Ph.D. in Latin American History at the University of New Mexico, where she received distinction for her doctoral work and served as an Assistant Editor for the New Mexico Historical Review. Before her appointment at UA, she held faculty and leadership roles at Auburn University, including service as Director of the Honors College, where she led innovative academic programs and expanded student opportunities.
Dr. Sippial has served on more than two dozen graduate committees throughout her academic career, mentoring doctoral and master’s students across disciplines. Her work has been recognized with numerous honors, including Auburn University’s Inclusive Excellence Award, the Teaching Excellence Award from the Auburn Alumni Association, the Early Career Teaching Award, and the Alfred B. Thomas Book Award. She is a recipient of the Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Grant and a fellow of the HERS Leadership Institute and the SECU Academic Leadership Development Program. In 2019, she served as President of the Latin American and Caribbean Section of the Southern Historical Association, reflecting her national leadership within the historical profession.
Dr. Sippial is known for her collaborative leadership style and commitment to building academic communities where innovation, integrity, and opportunity thrive. Above all, she is driven by a passion for student learning, a dedication to faculty and staff development, and a belief in the lifelong value of curiosity, scholarship, and service.