A department head at the U.S. Military Academy could become the first female dean in the school's 200-plus-year history, if the Senate endorses her selection.
Col. Cindy Jebb has been tapped by President Obama to succeed Brig. Gen. Tim Trainor in the post, the school announced Friday. Jebb, a member of West Point's Class of 1982, has been head of the academy's social sciences department since 2013.
"I am honored to have been nominated to serve as the dean of West Point," Jebb said in the release. "Should Congress confirm my nomination, I will be privileged to lead a team of professionals who are dedicated to academic excellence in support of our mission to graduate leaders of character."
The school's first female commandant of cadets, Brig. Gen. Diana Holland, assumed command Jan. 5. A three-day conference celebrating the 40th anniversary of female cadets attending West Point began Thursday at the school.
Trainor has held the post since 2010 and plans to retire in June, according to the release.
"I am extremely happy for the Army, the academy, and most of all for our cadets to hear about Col. Jebb's nomination," Trainor said in the release. "She has a wealth of experience, and a breadth and depth of perspective on the needs of the Army and on higher education."
Jebb holds a masters and doctoral degree in political science from Duke University and a masters in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College. She served as a senior adviser to the Chief of the Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq in summer 2015, according to her West Point bio, and has traveled to Iraq, Djibouti and Afghanistan as part of academic projects. She's also listed as the school's faculty athletic representative in this year's Cadet-Athlete Handbook.
Prior to her department-head duties at West Point, she served as deputy commander of 704th Military Intelligence Brigade.
