We hope you enjoy this series where we meet and get to know employees from across campus. Would you like to be featured? Contact us at campusnews@csufresno.edu.

Name: Bernadette Muscat
Title: Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Interim Dean of the Library
Department: Undergraduate Studies and Fresno State Library
Academic Degree(s):

• B.S. in Political Science, Santa Clara University
• B.S. in Sociology, Santa Clara University
• Master’s in Public Administration, Pennsylvania State University
• Ph.D. in Public Administration and Public Policy, Pennsylvania State University

How long have you worked at Fresno State and which offices have you worked in?
I began in 2003 as an assistant professor and victimology coordinator in the Department of Criminology. I became chair for the department and then became the associate dean for the College of Social Sciences. Since 2019, I have served as the dean of Undergraduate Studies and am now serving as interim dean of the Fresno State Library.

Are you a Valley native? If not, what brought you to the area? And Fresno State.
I came to this campus because my professional and research background is in victimology and victim services. This is the first university in the United States to offer a degree in victimology. So for me, having the opportunity to work at a university with an established victimology degree was a dream come true.

Are you a Bulldog family with generations of Bulldog graduates or current students?
Yes, I have family members who attended and graduated from here. We are Bulldog proud.

Do you have a campus mentor or someone who has helped you in your career?
I am very blessed and grateful to those individuals who believe in me and cultivate my potential. My first and most profound mentor was Professor Arthur Wint, who chaired my hiring committee and was also a victimologist. I will be forever grateful to Arthur for his enduring friendship, encouragement, counsel and mentoring.

Dr. Bernadette Muscat and her mentor, Dr. Arthur Wint

Tell us about your department and what people may not know about it.
Undergraduate Studies encompasses several different programs, including the Bulldog Testing Center, early assessment program, Smittcamp Family Honors College and university scheduling.

In terms of the Fresno State Library, I am new to this role and learning about the many amazing and wonderful projects, programs and initiatives that are underway. It is a beautiful building, but first and foremost is a vibrant part of the campus community that is integral to teaching, learning and research.

What is your most notable accomplishment in your field, and why was it important?
The implementation of Ethnic Studies (GE Area F) was a huge accomplishment for this campus in terms of overhauling and developing curriculum that impacted every single undergraduate program. This was the first campus within the CSU to implement ethnic studies through the hard work, dedication and collaboration of many across campus.

What are you most passionate about in your field and why?
I am passionate about education and the opportunity that education provides. I believe in the importance of access to education, learning in the classroom and giving back to the community. I know that education changes lives in incredibly meaningful and profound ways.

Dr. Bernadette Muscat and others at Police College in Hong Kong

What is a memorable moment you had in class?
Several years ago, I taught a family violence course to law enforcement practitioners. They can be a notoriously tough group to teach, and they definitely came into the class feeling that the course was a waste of their time and there was nothing to learn.

A few weeks into the course, one of the veteran officers who was the most vocal about the course being a waste of time stayed after class and basically said that he wished he learned this decades ago when first on the job and that the course should be mandatory for everyone going into law enforcement. I had to conceal a really big smile on that one.

What is your teaching style?
It is very important for me that students understand the application of what they learn in the classroom to what they will see and experience in their future careers.

Dr. Bernadette Muscat and students studying abroad

What is your favorite quote or saying?
From a very young age, my parents instilled in me the importance of an education. They always said the greatest investment that you will ever make is in your education. It is an investment in you and no one will ever be able to take it away from you. It will repay you in ways that you cannot begin to imagine. Always pursue your education.

What is the most interesting or unusual job you've ever had?
While I was an undergraduate student, I worked for a temp agency and I had a variety of interesting and unique jobs. One of the most fun was being Mrs. Claus during the holidays.

What do you like to do for fun in your spare time?
I love spending time with my family and friends, working out and traveling, and I am a foodie.

What is something interesting about you that most people don’t know?
Prior to the pandemic, I was involved in faculty-led study abroad programs studying comparative criminal justice. Over the years, I traveled with over 200 undergraduate and graduate students to more than 10 countries, including Cuba. Seeing students get on an airplane for the first time, learning in the global classroom and critically analyzing the criminal justice system in the United States are extremely rewarding aspects of study abroad.

Dr. Bernadette Muscat and students studying abroad