Andrew McConnell Stott

Andrew McConnell Stott serves as Vice Provost for Academic Programs and Dean of the Graduate School at the University of Southern California, concurrently holding a Professorship in the English Department within Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. He oversees academic excellence across USC’s 800+ programs, driving curriculum innovation, diversity initiatives, experiential learning, and student achievement from undergraduate to doctoral levels.

Stott earned his PhD in English Literature from Cardiff University and previously served as Dean of Undergraduate Education at USC Dornsife College, where he founded the Center for Applied Learning and Life Beyond College and spearheaded the 'Dornsife Idea' strategic plan for 21st-century liberal arts education.

His research centers on British popular culture from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries, examining intersections of theater, biography, and cultural memory. Stott’s publications reveal deep engagement with how performance traditions shaped national identity, particularly through comedy and historical legacy in British society.

Analysis of his scholarly output shows consistent focus on cultural historiography and theatrical biography, with works like What Blest Genius? exploring Shakespeare’s constructed legacy and The Pantomime Life of Joseph Grimaldi dissecting mental health through comedic performance—demonstrating interdisciplinary methodology bridging literature, history, and social anthropology.

His contributions have received major recognition:

• Marfield Prize (National Award for Arts Writing) for What Blest Genius?
• Royal Society of Literature Jerwood Award for Non-Fiction
• Theater Library Association’s George Freedley Award
• Sheridan Morley Prize for Biography

Stott’s academic leadership extends through prestigious fellowships from the British Academy, American Council on Education, and New York Public Library’s Cullman Center, underscoring his impact on humanities scholarship and educational innovation.