Sheryl Oring

Sheryl Oring is a prominent academic and artist currently serving as Chair and Professor of the Department of Applied Design at Appalachian State University since August 2025. With extensive experience in leadership roles, Oring was previously Dean of the School of Art at the University of the Arts and Chair of the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art, Art History, and Design at Wayne State University. Oring's dedication to civic engagement is evident through a role as a Visiting Scholar at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and as a Board Member of the National Coalition Against Censorship. Oring's earlier career includes editorial positions at renowned institutions such as the San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Times, and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, combined with a solid academic foundation in visual art from UC San Diego and journalism from the University of Colorado Boulder.