School of Arts, Letters, and Sciences Academic Leadership Team

Nicole C. Polen-Petit, Ph.D.

Dean of the School of Arts, Letters, and Sciences



Nicole C. Polen-Petit, Ph.D.

Dean of the School of Arts, Letters, and Sciences

Nicole C. Polen-Petit, Ph.D., is Dean of the School of Arts, Letters, and Sciences at National University where she leads more than two dozen programs ranging from associate to master’s degrees across Arts and Humanities, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and Social and Psychological Sciences. As a first-generation college graduate in her family, she deeply understands the challenges other first-generation students face, from doubt about belonging to navigating higher education’s complex ecosystem. She has built innovative programs to empower student success including partnering to create a Faculty-Driven Academic Advising Framework and recently received $4 million in Department of Education funding to build a peer-to-peer support structure at NU. She is an ardent advocate for the relevance of liberal arts in higher education and works collaboratively to empower her faculty to integrate general education across subjects so all students can benefit and become ethical global citizens with improved skills in communication, critical thinking, evaluation, and collaboration. Before her role as Dean, she served NU as Associate Dean, Associate Professor, Academic Program Director, and Assistant Professor. She has been an adjunct faculty and lecturer at numerous colleges and universities including UC Davis. She previously served as Director and Specialist for programs for early childhood interventions. Polen-Petit earned her Ph.D., Human Development and her M.S., Child Development, from the University of California, Davis, and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with honors from Whitworth University.

Julie Wilhelm, Ph.D.

Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, School of Arts, Letters, and Sciences

[email protected]

Julie Wilhelm, Ph.D.

Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, School of Arts, Letters, and Sciences

As Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Julie Wilhelm co-chairs the General Education Division, the faculty body that oversees general education; provides leadership for academic programs and projects in the School of Arts, Letters, and Sciences; and collaborates on the activities of Project ACCESS, National University’s DHSI grant to support student retention initiatives, curriculum design, and faculty diversity and professional development. A WSCUC Assessment Leadership Academy graduate, she coordinates an approach to developing, assessing, and improving the GE curriculum through interdisciplinary faculty learning communities. Dr. Wilhelm joined the National University faculty in 2014, teaching in the BA and MA in English Programs and co-leading the English BA Program, before she took on her current role in 2021. She is passionate about the liberal arts and the professional and personal value of the essential skills and broad knowledge that students develop in general education. In the classroom and beyond it, she works to create the conditions for meaningful learning and prioritizes care as essential to human flourishing. Dr. Wilhelm’s Ph.D. is in literature and her research focuses on care ethics, American literature, and teaching literature online.

Shelley Rees, PhD

Curriculum Director

[email protected]

Shelley Rees, PhD

Curriculum Director

Shelley Rees came to NU in 2023 after 20 years as an English professor. She earned her Ph.D. in English from University of North Texas, specializing in 19th-Century British literature, with further research interests in popular culture, gender studies, and speculative fiction. Dr. Rees lives in Oklahoma City with her husband, Mike, and their dogs, Dobby the silky terrier and Dr. Harley Quinn the Great Pyrenees mix. Passions include animal welfare, running, taekwondo, Texas Rangers baseball, and Diet Coke.

Casey Aultman, M. Ed.

Assistant Dean of Students School of Arts, Letters and Sciences

[email protected]
619-348-9141

Casey Aultman, M. Ed.

Assistant Dean of Students School of Arts, Letters and Sciences

Casey Aultman, M. Ed., is the Assistant Dean of Student for the School of Arts, Letters and Sciences. Casey joined the National University team in 2016, supporting the institutional mission and vision across roles, including Campus Director in the San Diego region and Associate Director, Advising prior to serving as Assistant Dean. She earned her M. Ed., Higher and Postsecondary Education, from Arizona State University where she completed her thesis research on the impact of parental support and involvement with traditional students’ satisfaction and academic success. With the opportunity to support a non-traditional student body, in her current role, Casey is dedicated to exploring holistic and innovative ways for National University students to progress confidently toward their academic and personal goals.

Rachel E. Simmons, PhD

Director of Assessment and Accreditation, School of Arts, Letters, and Sciences

[email protected]
858-220-4123

Rachel E. Simmons, PhD

Director of Assessment and Accreditation, School of Arts, Letters, and Sciences

Rachel Simmons is the Director of Assessment and Accreditation for the School of Arts, Letters, and Sciences. She coordinates the assessment of SOALS programs and of the university’s general education programs and courses. Dr. Simmons earned a Bachelors and Masters from UC San Diego and a PhD from UC Davis prior to joining NU in 2014 as faculty in the Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. She has worked with general education assessment since 2016 and entered her current role in 2023.